The Runaways
by Haitus80
Summary: AU. Seventeen year old Merle Dixon comes home long enough to rescue his fifteen year old brother from the hands of their mother. With little more than nothing they take off for Atlanta to start a new life. This is a Caryl fic so you have been warned just in case that isn't your thing.
1. Chapter 1

**I know what you are thinking. Like I really need another story, right? But this one is different. No crazy plot twists. No serial killers. No weird time traveling. This is just a simple Caryl story that is almost already complete. It was really refreshing to write. I was watching The Breakfast Club a few weeks ago and this story popped into my head. After that I watched the movie Dazed and Confused and it kind of solidified the idea. So this is me, attempting to write a regular, simple but still entertaining story about some runaway kids trying to survive the best way they can. **

**Oh, and for those of you that are familiar with a few of my other stories, Buck Dixon may or may not show up in this ;) Thank you all for giving it a shot! You are awesome!**

Chapter One

**July 3, 1976**

Daryl jerked awake and scooted his body backwards until he was cowering in the corner between the headboard and wall. The room was dark and at the moment he only had one functioning eye. The other was swollen shut. Someone had touched him while he slept and the fear had him acting like a wounded animal. Now days that's how he felt anyway. Like a wounded animal.

"It's just me, brother. Just me."

"Merle?" Daryl's voice climbed up his throat, setting a fire in it's wake. He swallowed, wincing.

"Yeah, it's me. Just me," he repeated in a steady but gentle voice that had Daryl frowning.

He thought maybe he was dreaming. He had to be, right? His brother was gone. He had been gone for a few years now and Daryl had already talked himself out of hoping to ever see him again. "Do they know you're here?" He croaked, sounding much younger than his fifteen years.

Merle didn't answer. Instead Daryl heard him moving about and then suddenly the room was illuminated by the bedside lamp. He saw, through his one good eye, his brother tense when he finally looked at him. Daryl pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his forehead against them. He didn't want Merle to look at him. He didn't want to be pitied. He especially didn't need any pity from the very asshole that had left him on his own three years before. He didn't need anything from Merle or anyone else. He could take care of himself.

"She do this to ya on her own?" Merle asked from between clenched teeth.

Daryl shrugged and lifted his head, knowing that his face was too banged up to show the anger he was feeling. "Nah. Got herself a new man. Mean mother fucker, too."

"If the ol' man knew..."

"The ol' man ain't here. Neither was you. What the hell do ya want, Merle? You gotta want somethin' or you wouldn't have showed your face here. Take what'cha need and leave me be." He tried unsuccessfully to force as much hate in his voice as he could but his throat was still killing him and his voice came out cracked and filled with nothing but sorrow and defeat.

Merle's face hardened further. "I had to get outta here, goddamn it," he snapped. "If I didn't I woulda ended up killin' the bitch."

Daryl screwed his mouth up into a sneer, even though it hurt. He felt the healing cuts split open again. "Yeah. Musta been nice to get to leave it all in the dust. Hope ya had yourself a good time."

"I tried to take you..."

"Fuck you, Merle. Like I said, take what you need and leave me be. I can handle myself just fine."

Merle ran a hand over his face and then looked down at him, his own face unable to hide the regret he must have been feeling. "I came for you. Pack your shit before the bitch wakes up and end I up guttin' her."

Daryl had dreamed of this for a long time but he never imagined it would actually happen. After the first year after Merle had ran away past by without so much as a phone call, Daryl had stopped waiting for his brother to come and save him. Instead he endured the beatings silently and hoped that the parole board would release his dad soon. Merle became nothing but a disappointment and Daryl's hope had settled on his dad's release. So now he wasn't sure what he was suppose to feel. He felt slightly numb. That was how he usually felt. Numb and pissed off. He had every right to be. Merle was his brother and he had left him.

He kept his eye on his brother, just in case this was some kind of trick. He didn't think Merle would hurt him but most people never thought someones mama would hurt them either. Daryl learned from experience that that was bullshit. Merle stayed where he was, watching as Daryl stood up stiffly.

His hand went to his abdomen and covered it gingerly as he winced. He was already dressed. He rarely slept and when he did he refused to be caught anymore vulnerable than he had to be. All he had to do was shove his feet into his boots and then he would be ready. But ready for what?

"Where you gonna take me?" He asked Merle wearily. "I ain't goin' to no goddamn orphanage or some shit."

Merle grabbed a backpack that was hanging from the doorknob and dumped the contents onto the bare mattress. "Don't know where we're goin'. Made a detour to pick you up out here and then I figured we'd head on to Atlanta. Just me and you."

"You ain't got a place or nothin'?" Daryl asked as Merle started shoving some clothes into the bag.

Merle didn't look up. He just shook his head and kept on packing the bag. "Ain't had a real place since I left this one. But that don't make a damn difference. I ain't leavin' you here. Go on and grab anything else you need."

Daryl didn't want to get his hopes up about this. Any minute now his mama and her new boyfriend could come in and this could all end. More hopes dashed. "You still gonna be in here when I come back?" He asked quietly as he edged towards his bedroom door. He wasn't sure if he could trust Merle not to bail on him a second time.

Merle looked over his shoulder. "Go on and get your shit. I'll be right here waitin' on ya when you come back."

Daryl nodded and then slipped silently out the door and into the dark hallway. Once his bedroom door was closed behind him the house was plunged into pitch blackness. He wished his other eye wasn't swollen shut. It would have been easier to adjust to the darkness if both of his eyes were functional. He made his way slowly to the bathroom and left the light off until he had the door pulled shut.

Once the light was on and the grimy bathroom was illuminated he snatched his toothbrush from the medicine cabinet and scanned the shelves for anything else he might need. He grabbed a bottle of Anacin, knowing he was going to be even more sore later on. He was always worse for wear the day after his mama decided it was time for him to suffer the consequences of whatever made up crime he had committed against her or one of her bastard boyfriends. He avoided his reflection. He always avoided his reflection now days.

Once that was done he cracked the bathroom door open and peeked out into the hall. All was still clear and he was about to make a break for his room and the promise of escape when he stopped with his hand hovering over the light switch.

A thought slammed into him, causing his heart to jump in his chest as adrenalin spiked his blood and brought a slight tremor to his hands. Merle had mentioned that he didn't have a place of his own. So it was just going to be him and his brother out there on their own and he was pretty sure Merle was as broke as he was.

He glanced towards his mama's closed bedroom door, knowing that if he was caught then Merle was here to save him. Surely Merle wasn't tricking him. He had came for him. Sure he was about three years late but he had come for him all the same. He wouldn't leave him again. Surely he wouldn't leave him for the second time in his life.

He took a deep breath and stepped out into the hall, leaving the bathroom door cracked so that the light spilled out enough for him to see. Once he made it to his mama's door he put his ear to it and listened for a few long seconds. He could hear nothing but soft snores coming from the room and he grimaced. He should have known. They had been shit faced drunk when they had finally stumbled out of his room. They were probably passed out cold.

This knowledge gave him the courage that he needed to finally open the door. When he did he could see them in the bed, both asleep on their stomachs. His mama's bare arm was hanging off the side of the bed. He looked away from them, searching the floor for the man's pants. When he finally spotted them he made his way towards them cautiously.

The man's wallet wasn't hard to find. It was a thick leather one that he had to fight to even remove from the back pocket of the pants. Daryl had noticed a few weeks ago, when the man first started coming around, that he must have been well off. What he was doing with Daryl's mama was a mystery. The man didn't spend the night often. This was only the fourth night he had been here. Daryl was suddenly glad that he had shown up on this night in particular.

He opened the wallet and almost dropped it when he saw the all the bills folded inside. He snatched the money out, folded it up and then stuffed it in his back pocket. He knew his mama didn't have much but he went to her purse that sat precariously on the messy dresser and rummaged through it. Fifty more dollars. He would have smiled if smiling wasn't so painful. The fifty dollars alone would have gotten them far. With the money he had taken from the wallet he was pretty sure they would be okay. For at least a little while.

Once he made it back to his room he let out a breath he didn't even know he had been holding at the site of his brother standing next to the open window. Merle scowled when he looked at him. Daryl wasn't sure what his face looked like and he was embarrassed at what his brother may think of him. Here he was, fifteen years old and still getting his ass beat into oblivion by his own mama and whatever garbage she happened to drag into their home.

Merle was two years older than him. By the time Merle was fifteen he had ran away from home. He had gotten away. In those three years he had changed a lot. He was bigger, of course. No longer the scrawny fourteen year old that had left home. His curly light brown hair was buzzed close and his face was harder. He looked more like Buck than Daryl remembered.

"You ready baby brother?" Merle asked.

Daryl shoved his feet into a pair of worn boots he had picked up for a few cents at a garage sale and then nodded. Merle swept his hand towards the window that he was standing in front of and Daryl didn't hesitate to scurry out, flopping gracelessly into the overgrown hedges that lined this side of the house.

Merle wasn't as clumsy with his movements. His longer legs made it easier for him. He didn't bother shutting the window or turning off the light as he pulled Daryl up from his ass and started walking calmly towards the truck. Daryl had to hurry to keep up with Merle's longer strides and he nearly slammed into his brother's back when he suddenly stopped, looking at the car parked in the drive.

"That the new boyfriend's ride?" Merle asked, gesturing towards the brand new 1976 Impala that sat there in the drive, moonlight shining off of it's white hood.

Daryl nodded.

Merle looked down at his brother and then back towards the car. A small smile graced his lips and he started walking towards it quickly.

"We need to get the hell outta here Merle. If they wake up..."

He spun around, causing Daryl to stop mid sentence. "Ain't nobody gonna lay a hand on ya ever again, you hear me!" He snarled, causing Daryl's one eye to widen at the intensity in which that statement was delivered.

Daryl nodded, too afraid to anger the bigger boy. Merle gave him a swift nod back and then continued on towards the car, Daryl following, glancing around nervously. Merle opened the drivers side door and peered inside as Daryl came around, the open door the only thing separating them. He looked over his shoulder towards the house again. All was clear. When he looked back at Merle he took a few steps back.

Merle was standing there, grin on his face, pissing all over the front seat and floor of the man's car. "Jesus, Merle!" Daryl hissed.

Merle shook himself a few times and tucked himself back into his pants. He looked at him and nodded towards the car, "Your turn."

Daryl looked from Merle to the car and then shrugged, nudging Merle with his elbow, "What the hell ya gonna do? Watch?"

Merle snorted and rolled his eyes. "Just hurry up, I'll keep my back turned, princess."

Daryl waited until his brother had his back to him and then, just like Merle had done, relieved himself all over the seat of that piece of shit's brand new ride. He upped his aim, drenching the steering wheel for good measure.

Once he was finished they walked away from the car, drivers side door standing wide open. Daryl took in a lungful of air just as they reached the truck. It felt good. It tasted sweet. Daryl figured that that was the taste of freedom. He was about to climb up into the truck, new excitement causing his heart to speed up, when he felt Merle's hand on his shoulder.

He looked over his shoulder curiously. Merle had grown somber again, looking at him with a strange expression on his face. Daryl waited for a few loaded seconds before Merle finally cleared his throat. "I ain't leavin' ya again. Ya understand that? From now on it's me and you. Ain't nothin' gonna happen to ya so long as you got me, alright?"

Daryl felt hope blossom in his chest, lightening a heavy weight that he hadn't even noticed was crushing his shoulders. With all the trust that his fifteen year old self could muster he nodded. Merle gave him another swift nod, patted his shoulder and then hurried around the truck. When they were a few miles away from the house, his own prison, he couldn't help the smile that lit up his face. Split lips be damned.


	2. Chapter 2

**Man, I had to go over this a bunch of times but I think it is readable now. Thanks to everyone that followed and faved and reviewed! I hope you continue to enjoy this story. It was nice to see so many of you liked it =) As always, I appreciate it! Thanks for reading!**

Chapter Two

**July 4th, 1976**

She was sure she wasn't going to be able to avoid it any longer. This was the worst incident yet and the filthy man was so drunk that he was actually salivating. She could smell his putrid breath laced with cheap whiskey as he leaned into her face. She dodged his greedy hands one more time, this time causing him to lose his balance and fall flat on his face. She didn't look back as she ran down the hall towards her room.

Her ribs ached with every inhale and she thought, not for the first time, that he was going to kill her when he got his hands on her again. If he didn't kill her then he would surely kill Andrea. One of them weren't going to see the beginning of a new day. He had grabbed her viciously from behind, nearly breaking her ribs in the process.

Once she made it to her room she slammed the door closed and leaned her back against it, waiting for him to push his way through it and finally finish what he had started. She almost didn't care anymore. Almost. If he killed her then she would be able to see her parents again. She wouldn't have to worry about what new horrors the next night would bring. She wouldn't have to be afraid anymore.

Andrea sat straight up in bed, her platinum hair sticking up at odd angles. She had been asleep but now she was up and alert as if she had been awake for hours. Carol ran a hand through her own messy curls and then rushed to her bed, sinking to her knees and feeling around for the backpack that was already filled.

"What the hell did you do?" Andrea asked as she threw off the covers and stood up quickly. "Did he hurt you?"

Carol shook her head. She wouldn't let the man hurt her anymore. She wasn't sure why exactly, but she had come to a quick decision that dying wasn't in her plans of things to do this week. Life was hard. Very hard. But she still wanted to live. It couldn't be like this forever.

"Carol, what happened?" Andrea asked, now kneeling down next to her as she double checked the bag to make sure she had everything she would need. She had packed it earlier in the day as soon as she noticed the man drinking. She knew that tonight would be bad. She had been debating on letting him kill her or fleeing when the house was finally quiet. It was now or never. She had to do something tonight.

Maybe she would have let him end her if she wasn't sure that he wouldn't just kill her quickly. He would certainly do other things to her first and although she didn't have the first clue what those other things could be, she did know that they would not be pleasant in the least. She made a face as she stood up, grabbing her worn sneakers and pulling them on quickly.

"Carol!" Andrea hissed and then grabbed her by the shoulders to get her attention.

"I was thirsty. I thought he would be passed out by now," she said lamely. She should have known better. She did know better.

"You know better than that," Andrea said sadly, reading her thoughts.

Carol just nodded and dropped her eyes. "We have to get out of here," she whispered.

Andrea gave her a sad smile. "You know it isn't that easy. They'll just find us and bring us back here. You know the drill."

Her and Andrea had been like sisters for the past three months. They were both taken in by the same foster family. This family, which consisted of Frank Osmond, a forty year old car salesman with a drinking problem, and his wife, Blanch, who kept herself zoned out on pills. They made it clear from the get go that the only reason either girl was there was so they could get a monthly check for housing them.

Carol glanced towards the door before meeting Andrea's eyes. "You know what will happen if we stay here," she whispered. "I won't have him try to put his hands on me again."

Andrea bit her lip, her eyes sliding over to the door that they knew the man would be coming through any minute if he was still awake. "We don't have any money, Carol. We don't have a car or anyone that we can call to help."

"Anything is better than this. What, you think that if we hang on for a while we'll end up being adopted. Andrea, we're fifteen. No one wants us. We're on our own. It doesn't matter if we don't have anything. We'll at least have each other and we won't have to live like this anymore. We can hitch to San Francisco. We can find an apartment right on Haight-Ashbury and be hippies. You can make clothes to sell and I'll... hell, i don't know. We'll just_ live_."

Carol hated the lost look that came into Andrea's eyes at the mention of no one wanting them. But Carol was more experienced at all of this than Andrea was. When Carol was eight years old her parent's station wagon had been hit by a drunk driver. They had both been thrown from the car. Her mother died instantly and her father had lingered on for a few days at the hospital. But he had died too, leaving Carol with no surviving family and no one to step in to raise her as their own. She had been in the system ever since.

Andrea was a different story. Two years ago, while on a fishing trip with her uncle Dale, he had suffered a heart attack in the boat they had been in. By the time Andrea had rowed to shore and gotten help, it was far too late for her uncle. Her parents had both died a few years before that but Carol never asked her how. She had had a little sister that was nearly three years old at the time. She had been adopted quickly. The family that had adopted Amy didn't want to deal with an older child so Andrea stayed behind.

She sighed and Carol could tell the exact moment that Andrea finally made up her mind. "I guess we're the only family we need, huh?" She asked, tears causing her pale eyes to shine.

Carol hugged her quickly and then pushed her away, "Get what you need," she said hurriedly.

"Did he..." Andrea's voice trailed off as she started pulling her meager belongings from the dresser drawers.

Carol knew what she was asking and shook her head, feeling sick to her stomach that Andrea would feel as though she needed to ask her something like that. "He just hit me. He grabbed at my chest again but I was able to push him away. He's really drunk."

Andrea's eyes landed on her, hard and cold. "We should do the world a favor and kill the bastard before we leave here."

Carol shook her head. "No. we need to leave. We got lucky tonight. He must have finally passed out."

Andrea didn't look very happy about not killing the man but she agreed to get out now. They made their way down the hall on silent feet and passed by Frank, who was still lying on the floor where Carol had left him. Once they were out of the house they paused right at the edge of the sidewalk and they both glanced back at the house that had become like a prison to them.

Once they were finally outside, standing there on the sidewalk in the dark did Carol finally feel the enormity of what lay before them. She felt Andrea's hand slide into her own and she looked over at her friend.

"You sure this is the right thing?" Andrea asked, a tremor in her voice.

Carol nodded. "We don't have any choice, really. If we stay then he's going to end up hurting us worse than ever. We'll go to California and be groupies for Aerosmith. It'll be great." She squeezed Andrea's hand and smiled.

"The Runaways," Andrea said softly.

"What?" Carol arched a brow at her.

"I wanna be a groupie for The Runaways. Maybe join the band if we're cool enough."

"Then that's the plan," Carol whispered as her eyes scanned the dark street.

She had no idea where they would really go. Neither of them had any money and no real way to make any. But she was done getting pushed around. She had been pushed around ever since she had lost her family and she was finished with that life. Whatever the world had to throw at her, it better be thrown with enough force to knock her out because she was done being a victim. She wanted to say all of this out loud but in all reality, regardless of how her mind was made up, she was still terrified of the unknown.

"Where do you think we should go first. Before California, I mean?" Andrea asked. Neither of them had taken another step on this new found journey of theirs.

Carol didn't have to think very long. Only one place made sense if they didn't want to be found. "We need to get to Atlanta. It isn't gonna take long for someone to come looking for us. In a city that big we wouldn't be very easy to find."

Andrea nodded and then squeezed her hand. "Seems dangerous though."

Carol started walking, still holding on to Andrea. "Not any more dangerous than it would be to keep on going on this way. At least we have each other. Some girls are all alone out there."

"We can walk to the interstate and try to hitch a ride from there. Atlanta is only a few hours away." Andrea didn't sound as afraid anymore and this made Carol feel even better. As they walked the dark streets towards the highway and an uncertain future, Carol couldn't help the smile that broke out over her face.

This was going to be the first step to freedom. Sure, is was scary. But that didn't matter as her mind conjured up images of her and Andrea out there on their own, taking care of themselves and finally being free. Her smile grew into an outright grin.

It took them a couple of hours to make it to the interstate. There wasn't as much traffic out this late at night and Carol grew nervous every time she saw headlights. Regardless, she stuck out her thumb every time she saw a car coming towards them. They had only made it a few miles when someone finally pulled over. Luckily it was a younger couple in a van. The guy was probably eighteen at most and the dark haired girl he was with looked even younger than that. Maybe even Carol and Andrea's age.

"Where ya headin'?" The girl asked as she rolled down her window as Andrea and Carol approached the van.

"Atlanta," Carol said, looking from the girl to the guy behind the wheel. He gave her a small wave.

The girl grinned as she looked them over. "You two runnin' away or somethin'?" She asked.

Carol could feel Andrea tense at her side. "N-no," Carol stammered, causing the girl to roll her eyes.

"Well, you're in luck because we were just headin' that way. There's a Skynard concert tomorrow and we're booking a room tonight at a motel down the street from the show. If you two 'not runaways' want a ride we can take you the whole way, no problem. Right Rick?" She asked as she turned back towards the driver.

Rick just shrugged. "I don't see why not."

Andrea and Carol shared a look and then they both nodded in unison. "We'd really appreciate that. Thanks," Carol breathed as she hopped into the back of the van after Andrea.

The radio was playing so loud that conversation wasn't really necessary. When the song ended, however, the turned in her seat and smiled at them. "I'm Lori, by the way. So, do you guys have a friend or something in Atlanta?"

Andrea answered before Carol could even open her mouth. "No. No friends anywhere really. We're on our own."

Carol shot her a wide eyed look. Out of the two of them she was sure that she was a lot more street smart than Andrea. She had grown up with happily married parents and church on Sundays. She had been a great softball player and an honor roll student. But all of that was gone now and she was much wiser than she had been before her parents had been killed and she had been thrown into the life of an orphan. But Andrea hadn't been in the system for as long as she had. But Andrea sure was starting to act like it now.

Sure this couple could be great people but they could also be the type of kids that would turn them in as soon as they got to the city. If that happened then they would be right back in the same boat as they had been in before. Andrea ignored the hard look Carol shot her.

"Man, that is rough. You guys don't have anywhere to go?" Lori sounded sad but not like someone that would turn them in. Carol relaxed a little.

Andrea shook her head.

Lori glanced at Rick and then back at them. "Maybe you can stay in our room tonight. As long as you two don't mind sharing a bed."

Carol and Andrea shared a look and then they both nodded. "If we had any money then we would pay for our share. We just left out with a few changes of clothes."

"No problem," Lori smiled and turned in her seat, cranking the radio up once more.


	3. Chapter 3

**I know a lot of you aren't fond of time jumps and I completely understand. But those first two chapters were simply to let people know what the circumstances were that led to them living the way they are living now. The rest of this story takes place in 1978-79. Why the 70's? Because the 70's were damn awesome, that's why ;) There will be no more major times jumps after this one. This one is a little bit boring at first but it's just getting into Daryl's head a bit. The second part is Merle. You should like that part. Thanks for reading! =) **

Chapter Three

**Two years later...**

**November 20th 1978**

Daryl pulled the blanket up tighter around himself. He was freezing even through all the layers of clothes he had on and the two blankets he had wrapped himself in. Merle was out. He never really knew where he went when he went out but he went out frequently. Ever since Merle had turned 19 a few months before he had been spending more and more time in the bars in the city. Not that he hadn't been to them before that. No one really bothered Merle. For one, he looked older than he really was and for two, he hung with a crowd that was feared by anyone with any sense.

Either way, he was pretty sure the fire was out and he needed to get one started before their pipes froze. If they hadn't already. He was sure that Merle wasn't home yet because Merle, drunk or not, always made sure the house was warm when he was there.

He threw off the blankets and hopped out of bed, hissing when his sock clad feet hit the cold wooden floor. He didn't complain about the cabin they lived in. He used the word cabin lightly. It was more like a shack located down the road from a rock quarry not far from the city. Before moving into the shack they had lived right in the middle of the city. They mostly lived on the streets. Merle was smart about making money. Sometimes they would get a room for a few days or, if they were lucky, a few weeks. No matter where they ended up lying their heads, Daryl hated it. He hated the lights and the people and the uncertainty of the city. He was never comfortable there.

He padded out into the small living room and glanced at the coals still burning in the fireplace. He should have gotten up hours ago and made sure the fire was still going but he hadn't. He had slept instead. Sleep didn't come easily to him very often and when it did he was usually so exhausted that he slept deeply and for many hours. Most of the time he dreamed of his mama. Maybe that was why he avoided sleep as much as possible.

He poked around at the coals before adding some dry tender to get himself a good flame started. Avoiding things was something Daryl was very good at. He didn't just avoid sleep. He avoided social situations. He avoided many topics that made him uncomfortable. He avoided help from others. And he was okay with that. He was fine with his solitude. Every now and then Merle would bring some of his buddies over. Sometimes he would bring home a few women. On those nights Daryl would quietly slink off to his room. It was the only bedroom in the place and Merle, knowing how he was, had graciously given it to him.

He was a seventeen year old boy. The thought of being free to do whatever the hell he wanted should have thrilled him. And really, it did. But all he really wanted to do was distance himself from people and find contentment in the woods or down at the quarry. He hunted for their food. He fished and he explored. That was where he felt truly free. There was no one there to hurt him. No one there to judge him. Just him and his solitude.

Every now and then he would find himself thinking about a particularly attractive girl he would spot on the few occasions he would go with his brother into the city. It wasn't that he didn't like the thought of being with a woman. He thought about things like that a lot. He even found that often times the girls he would glance at would be looking at him. He wasn't sure what the hell they seen but they acted as though they liked what they were looking at. This didn't make talking to them any easier though. It didn't make the thought of them touching him any more bearable.

It seemed like every single time a female got close to him his mama's leering face would appear in his minds eye and he would find himself on the verge of a panic attack. He thought of the scars that littered his body and wondered what a girl would say about them. What stories would those scars tell about him? It was pathetic and he knew it. No one said anything about it. Not the guys Merle ran with and certainly not any of Merle's female friends that showed Daryl more than a little interest. He figured Merle had a hand in that. Not many people crossed his brother and the fastest way to get Merle pissed off was to mess with Daryl. He'd told him two years ago, when he had taken him from their mama's house, that he would protect him. And Merle did just that.

He sat down on his haunches and held his hands out towards the fire. The flames brightened the small room and after just a few minutes it was warm enough so he could back away from the flames and sit on the worn loveseat Merle had picked up at the Salvation Army. They did have a radio and he reached for the lamp, pulling the string and bathing the room in more light. He opted to fill around under the cushion for the book he had stashed there earlier rather than listen to music. They didn't own a television but Merle was working on it.

Daryl didn't much care for television anyway. His mama hadn't ever let him watch it and he figured that anything on there was a waste of time. The book was probably a lot better than anything he could have watched. He felt like a real dumb fuck for reading it at all and if Merle found out he'd hassle the shit out of him. It was a book called My Side of the Mountain. The first time Daryl had read the book he had been in the fourth grade. It had completely mesmerized him. He had eventually stolen the book from the school library. He had read it so much that the spine was in tatters and the pages were barely intact.

He knew that it was stupid of him. It was a dumb kids book and he was damn near an adult now, but he read it anyway. He had always wanted to be the boy in that book. He had always wished that he had been brave enough to venture out on his own, just him versus the world. But he never had. Instead he had read the book over and over. Part of it was because he was sure that his mama would catch him and the other part was, he didn't know when his dad would get out of prison. He wanted to be there when the man found out everything that had happened to Daryl since he had been arrested. So instead he lived vicariously through the boy on those pages.

~H~

Merle swallowed down another shot and then grimaced as it hit his stomach. He wasn't really feeling it tonight. It was damn cold and he needed to make sure that he got home before the snow started. He knew it was coming. He could smell it in the air. Well, he could smell it when he was outside. In here all he was smelling was stale smoke, alcohol and cheap perfume.

His gaze slid over to the corner where the woman sat with the same man he had seen her with a few weeks ago. His teeth clenched together so hard he felt like his jaw would snap. The first time he had seen her he was sure she would spot him right off the bat. But to his astonishment she had slipped right past him. She glanced at him, gave him a once over that caused his skin to crawl and then walked right on by. Five years had apparently changed him enough that the woman that gave birth to him didn't even know him from Adam.

He was sure she hadn't recognized him. It had been five years since he had left that house, and that evil woman, behind. He had grown up a lot. He had changed from that gangly fourteen year old to a pretty big guy. He thought of what his brother had looked like that night he had finally gone to get him and decided that she wouldn't have recognized him either. His hair had darkened and grown long, he was much taller than he had been two years ago.

Merle watched as his own mother got up, swaying to the music as she grabbed the man's hand and pulled him up with her. He bit back the urge to go smash her face in with his fist. He refused to hit a woman but he wouldn't hesitate to put a bitch on her ass. And this woman was the biggest bitch of them all.

The man followed her onto the dance floor and they proceeded to dance like they didn't have a care in the world. Merle had to turn back around. He glared into his empty shot glass and then motioned for another round. He would drink this one and then he would leave. He didn't know why he kept doing this. He knew that Daryl was big enough to take care of himself now. But he still wanted to keep tabs on their mom, just in case. He didn't think she was in the city looking for his brother. It wasn't in her nature to give a shit about her kids. But he still wasn't sure how Daryl would react to seeing her again. He didn't care how old Daryl was. It was his job to protect him.

He knew that the boy still had nightmares. He had seen the scars all over his back. He was too quiet most of the time and he rarely cracked a smile. He spent most of his time alone and seemed to like it that way. But Merle worried. He worried all the time. The scars Daryl had ran so deep that sometimes Merle wished that he had just taken his brother with him when he had ran away that very first time. But he hadn't. And his little brother had suffered horribly because of it. And that damage had taken a toll on Daryl more than even Merle probably knew. He would hate himself every day for what Daryl had suffered.

He threw a few bills on the table and stomped away towards the doors. Once he was outside and the frigid air bit into his cheeks and nearly froze his nostrils together he let out a breath. He turned and was about to head off to his truck when something suddenly slammed into his back. Whatever it was hadn't hit him with enough force to knock him over, even after all he had had to drink. He spun around, more than ready for a fight, when he found himself staring into the pale blue eyes of a blonde girl that couldn't have been much older than sixteen.

"I'm so sorry!" She said, clearly embarrassed.

He didn't even try to hide the fact that he was checking her out. After giving her a once over he met her eyes. "No harm done. Just watch where the fuck you're goin' next time. The next person you run into might not be as nice as me." His voice was gruff once he decided that she was too damn young for him. He liked them older, looser and drunker than this pretty little thing.

She nodded, seeming relieved that he hadn't laid into her. "I'll do that. I'll see ya later," she said with a half smile before she took off like a bat out of hell down the street.

He shook his head, watching her run away until she ran around the corner. Right before he reached his truck someone else came charging in his direction. This time it was a man that looked to be in his mid twenties. He looked pissed off as he came to a halt a few feet away.

"Hey, man. You seen a blonde anywhere around here? About yay tall. Long legs and fantastic tits?" The man was glancing around frantically.

"What if I have?" Merle asked, instantly not liking the man for some reason.

"Well if you have I would appreciate it if you told me which way she went. The little bitch stole my wallet," the man said as he ran a hand over his face.

Merle frowned. "How the hell would that girl have had access to anything in your pants in the first place?"

"She didn't! She ran into me and then took off. When I went to pull out my wallet for a cab it wasn't there. She was the only one around."

Merle's hand went to his back pocket. His empty back pocket. "That little bitch!" He roared. He hadn't had much in the wallet as far as money went but his drivers license was in there, along with his social security card.

The guy looked at him and shook his head. "She got you too?"

Merle scowled. "No, dumb ass. I'm just in a rage because of your own personal injustice. Fuck yeah she snatched mine too."

Merle pointed off in the direction the girl had gone but he wasn't about to run off down the street. He'd catch her out some day and then he would bend her over his damn knee and bust her little ass like she needed. She was long gone by now so he climbed up into his truck and drove off towards home.

**Yep. That was Andrea who just stole Merle's wallet. Gotta love her anyway ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

**First off, I have to apologize to you all for the long wait. For those of you who aren't following my other story I'll explain it here. Me, the ever lovable Haitus80, spent last week in jail. Hey, don't judge! I was falsely accused! I know that everyone says that but in my case, it is true. I've been a victim of identity theft and was arrested for writing checks in a county that I hadn't been too while I was a whole state away. Have you guys ever seen that show called "jail"? It was so awful! I've never been in trouble like that before. It was pretty intense. So, anyway, I go to court on Tuesday and we will see if I have to get locked back up. Any thoughts or prayers will be greatly appreciated! Random thought... What are the odds that the judge will be a ff reader? How fucked up would it be if my judge was a Caryl shipper? You think I should maybe slip it in there that I am a Caryl writer? Gawd, my luck she'd be a damn Bethyl freak and gleefully lock me up and throw away the key. *Sigh* Maybe I'll keep my ff life a secret. **

**Anyway, much love to all of you who are reading! I can't thank you enough for the support. And if you need a pen pal, let me know ;) Just in case things don't go well on Tuesday! LOL! **

**Chapter Four**

**November 22nd 1978**

"How are you feeling?" Andrea asked as she climbed into the back of the car.

Carol looked up at her and groaned. She felt like warmed over death. She felt like she wanted someone to come along and put her out of her misery. "Fine," she mumbled instead of voicing her woes out loud.

Andrea sighed and scooted closer to her. "I got us some food and I picked you up some medicine too," she grinned as she unwrapped a cheeseburger and handed it over. Carol looked at it for a few long seconds before she reached for it. Even that small movement seemed too much work.

"I don't feel hungry," she said as she bit off a piece and chewed it slowly. It was true. For two years now her and Andrea lived in a perpetual state of hunger, but tonight she didn't want to eat. She wanted to sleep but it was alluding her. She had a fever and she felt frozen. Of course, that was probably because she _was _frozen. The temperature had dropped drastically the last few days and she was in the throws of some kind of flu born from the pits of hell. She took another bite, angry at herself for getting sick in the first place.

"You have to eat before you take the medicine," Andrea muttered around a mouth full of food.

Carol frowned. "Where did you get the money for medicine?"

Andrea shrugged. "The same way we get money for anything."

Carol swallowed and despite the fact that she didn't have an appetite, the hot food felt good hitting her stomach. Andrea handed her a cup and she took a few drinks of the cold soda. That, too, felt good. "One of these days we're gonna end up getting busted for that."

"It's either that or we sell our asses. You are totally opposed to selling asses," Andrea smiled at her and leaned against her further.

"My virtue is not for sale. I'm not losing my virginity for profit. I don't care how hungry I am," Carol said miserably.

Andrea sighed. "That's too bad. I bet we would make a killing. I should have thought of that before I gave mine away." She elbowed her playfully but Carol couldn't even bring herself to smile.

They finished their meal in silence and then Andrea handed her a few pills that she washed down with the last of her drink. She pulled the blanket back over her and then scooted down, stretching out on the seat. The food had made her feel drowsy and more than a little sick to her stomach. She closed her eyes and then listened as Andrea climbed up into the front seat of the car. She wished they had more room to stretch out. She wished that they had more blankets and maybe even a bed. Hell, a shed would be good enough for her. She was tired of sleeping in this abandoned car in this awful neighborhood. She wasn't sure how she would manage to get any better if she wasn't able to keep herself fed and warm every day.

She felt so tired. Not just physically either. She was mentally drained. The last two years had been harder than she imagined they would be. The two of them managed to get by but their life was a wreck. They didn't have any form of ID so they couldn't get real jobs and Carol was pretty sure that some day, they were going to end up getting hurt if they kept on stealing for a living. She felt bad every time she did it but she had no choice. Her and Andrea had ran into several other runaways that were around their age. Most of them were prostitutes and had a problem with drugs. They sold their bodies to support their drug habit. Carol would have looked down on them but she wasn't doing a whole lot better. She stole from people to support herself. It wasn't right and she knew it. Just like the things those other girls did wasn't right.

The thought of a man putting their hands all over her caused her to visibly cringe. Andrea laughed it off but that last night they had been in that house she had thought she was going to be raped. She had been almost positive that the man wasn't going to be deterred. She remembered how it felt to have his hands running all over her and she felt bile rise in the back of her throat. No. She didn't want anything like that. She would be just fine never being around men for the rest of her life. And even if she happened to be around men then they could just keep their paws to themselves.

"Tomorrow is gonna be better, Carol," Andrea said sleepily.

It was like a mantra. Every night Carol had heard the same thing right before Andrea would go to sleep. It was surprisingly comforting to her, even though sometimes it wasn't true. Well, a lot of times it wasn't true. "I know," she said, just like she always did.

The next morning Carol woke up feeling slightly worse than she had the night before. It was a little bit harder to breath and she felt even weaker than she had. She didn't have a thermometer but she was pretty sure that she knew that she was running a fever again. Before she had dozed off the night before she had felt much better. It looked like that small reprieve was over.

She burrowed down further in her blanket but she couldn't get warm. She felt worse than she ever had in her life and it scared her.

"You awake?" Andrea asked from the front seat.

Carol couldn't even find it in herself to respond.

"Carol?" Andrea said a little more loudly. Carol opened her eyes to see Andrea peering down at her from over the head rest. "You look worse than you did last night."

Carol closed her eyes. The light was causing her head to ache and the last thing she needed was more hurt. It seemed like everything was hurting. From the crown of her head down to the tips of her toes.

"I'm gonna run down the street and get you some breakfast. To hell with what the label says, take your pills now." She opened the bottle hastily and then handed Carol three pills this time along with a thermos that Carol was sure had yesterdays coffee in it. She made a face but managed to get herself into a sitting position long enough to swallow them down before she let her head fall back to the smelly back seat.

She barely heard the sound of the drivers side door closing but the silence that followed Andrea's departure was heavy. Her mind drifted lazily to better days. Days when she was a child and the only thing she had to worry about were chores and homework. That seemed like centuries ago now. It was like a life that belonged to someone else. They didn't even feel like her memories anymore. It was better for her to feel that way. It was better to keep herself detached from that other life. If she started in with the what ifs then she would surely lose her mind.

Without realizing it she had started to drift off. The back door down by her feet opened up but for some reason Andrea didn't say anything. The cold air breezed into the car, zapping away any warmth that her body heat had produced.

"What do we have here?"

Carol had the urge but not the strength to open the other door and bolt from the car at the sound of a familiar male voice. It was unfortunate that she just didn't have the energy. She opened her eyes but other than that she stayed very still.

"You gonna come out of there sweetness or am I gonna have to come in there after you?" She could hear the threat in the man's voice.

She wanted to scream but she didn't feel like she could suck in enough air to do so. When she felt a cold hand slide into the blanket and touch her leg through her jeans she scrounged up every ounce of energy she had and drew her leg back, kicking out as hard as she could.

Her kick landed solidly and she was happy to hear the man's low grunt of pain. She struggled to sit up so she could get out of the confines of the car. She glanced over just as her hand found the door handle and froze when she saw the guys angry face. She knew this guy. He was a drug pusher that she had seen a few blocks down. He usually didn't come up this way but today must have been an off day for him. Not only did he sell drugs but he also pimped out several of the other young girls that Carol and Andrea had met over the past few years of living on the streets.

She remembered him trying to talk her and Andrea into working with him but neither of them were interested. He was a mean looking guy that had to have been in his mid to late thirties. He had greased back hair and a sneer that always seemed to perch on his thin lips. She had never ran into him alone though. The car was parked behind an abandoned building in a narrow alleyway that was pretty much secluded.

"I remember you. I'd remember that pretty face anywhere," he grinned showing a mouth full of bad teeth.

She wasn't going to engage this guy in conversation. She needed to get the hell out of there, sick and feverish or not. She opened the door and stumbled out, ready to make a break for the end of the alley. She wasn't fast enough.

"You got yourself a mighty fine kick there, sweetheart," he muttered as he raced around the car and grabbed her around the waist. He spun her around and slapped her hard. As soon as he let her go she fell right onto her ass on the cold concrete.

She didn't know why this had to happen to her today of all days. She wasn't strong enough to fight him and the knife that belonged to her was sitting useless in the glove box of the car. "Keep your damn hands off me," she spat in a weak voice as she tried to scoot back. She felt like she was going to pass out from the exertion and he advanced on her quickly, reaching down and grabbing her by the front of her hooded sweatshirt. He lifted her off the ground.

"I don't think you understand who the hell you're talkin' too," he snapped right before he drew back to hit her again.

"Hey! Let her go!"

Carol had never been more relieved to hear Andrea's voice in her life. The guy did let her go and she managed to fall on her ass once more. What a bitch of a morning.

He turned around and instantly started screaming. Carol scooted away again as the guy grabbed his face. It was steaming.

Andrea raced around him and pulled Carol up off the ground, instantly trying to get her to run away from the guy while they still had a chance to escape. The problem was, Carol wasn't getting enough oxygen in her lungs and her legs were refusing to move very fast at all.

Suddenly they had nowhere to go because another guy, one Carol had never seen before rounded the corner. They nearly smacked right into a broad chest. Carol almost felt relieved until she heard Andrea curse under her breath. When she looked up the man looked furious. This was not good at all.

"Where the hell is my wallet you little tramp?" The man almost roared.

Andrea and Carol both glanced over their shoulders. Sure enough, the man had recovered from a face full of coffee and was now sauntering towards them. As far as they knew, these two guys were together and now they were really pissed.

The man that was blocking their way looked up over their heads at the man that was coming towards them. "You the one that put your hands on the ginger, here?" The man in front of them asked.

Carol frowned. She was so not a ginger. Sure, her hair was a little red but that didn't make her a... All thoughts stopped when the world seemed to dip, causing her legs to give out on her. This was going to hurt. Bad. She knew the ground was coming up to meet her and she was about to land on her face. That was her last thought before dark waters pulled her under and she lost consciousness.


	5. Chapter 5

**Morning. It's court day and I wanted to get this chapter out for you guys just in case something bad happened and I couldn't update for a while. I promise, if I get to come home today I'll get back to updating my other stories regularly. I'm only updating this one because I have so many chapters written already. I haven't done much writing. Thank you all for the kind words. I'm a bit terrified at the moment so they do mean a lot. I've never been in trouble so I'm treading water here. Thanks for reading! I hope you like this chapter as much as I liked writing it =)**

**Chapter Five**

Daryl expertly skinned the rabbits that he had caught on his morning hunt. The temperature had warmed up enough for the animals to come out of hiding so he hadn't been out for long. He would fry up two of them and then freeze the meat from the other two. Merle had gone out again, not saying a word about where he was going but he was in one hell of a bad mood so Daryl wasn't about to ask him any questions.

For the first time since they had moved into the cabin Daryl had actually been in the mood to go along with his brother. Not because he really wanted to go to the city but because he was starting to get a little stir crazy. He had been through every inch of the woods and the walls of the cabin were closing in on him a bit here lately. It had even been a long time since Merle had brought anyone home with him. He was glad for that though. The women always creeped him out and Merle's friends were always going on and on about fighting, women, drugs or guns. Not that there was anything wrong with that, he supposed. But after listening to their stories over and over again he was pretty damn sure that they were all full of shit. Several times he had to leave the room just so he didn't call them all out on their bullshit. Yeah, Merle's friends pretty much got on his nerves, but it was at least someone different.

He heard the sound of Merle's truck coming down the drive just as he took the last of the meat out of the iron skillet. At least he wasn't going to have to eat lunch alone. Maybe the rabbit would cheer his brother up a little. It was one of his favorites for some reason. Daryl preferred squirrel himself. He was eager for summer so he could fish out at the quarry. He had gotten pretty good at cooking it.

He glanced over his shoulder, towards the part of the house they used as a living room, expecting to see his brother stomp in. Instead a frantic looking blonde haired girl came through the door, holding it open wide. He was about to ask the crazy girl what the fuck she was doing in his house when Merle breezed in. He was carrying another girl that seemed to be out cold.

"The fuck did ya do, Merle? Jesus!" He muttered as he sat the plate down on the counter and took a few steps closer.

"I didn't do shit. Tom slapped her around a bit and by the time I came around the corner she was tryin' to get away. Then she just passed out. Damn near knocked her brains out if I hadn't have caught her," Merle grunted as he laid the girl on the small sofa.

Daryl narrowed his eyes as he looked from the unconscious girl to the blonde. "Tom, huh? Why the fuck ya bring'em out here for?" He didn't want to have a damn thing to do with their kind. He knew all about Tom. The guy was a drug pusher and a pimp. If these girls were mixed up with the likes of him then it was because they were selling themselves and girls like that made him sick. He had ran into plenty. A lot of them looked even younger than him.

Merle looked up and rubbed the back of his neck. "They look like a couple of whores to you? Tom went after the girl cause he found her in a bad spot. Didn't seem right leavin'em out in the cold after this one here decided to go and faint all over her damn self."

"What do you mean, a couple of whores?" Andrea fixed Daryl with a narrow look. "Are you implying that we are prostitutes?"

Daryl felt his hackles rise at her tone but he kept his mouth closed. He didn't give a damn what they were, he just wanted them the hell out of his house.

"Well?" She pressed.

Daryl's jaw clenched and his eyes darted to his closed bedroom door.

Merle stepped in front her, his arms crossed over his chest. "Don't worry about what he is or ain't implyin'. You still got some explainin' to do before your little ass gets knocked out as cold as your friend there."

The girl took a step back and crossed her arms over her chest. "My friend is sick. I needed to get her some medicine because we couldn't get her fever down. That's probably why she passed out. I didn't have a choice but to steal your wallet."

Daryl's gaze slid over to the girl on the couch. Now that he got a good look at the two of them it was pretty obvious that they weren't Tom's girls. The blonde had on a stained up pair of jeans and a threadbare jacket. The other girl was wearing torn jeans and an over sized sweat shirt. Before he even thought about it he spoke again. "What's the matter with her?" For some strange reason he found himself actually worrying about the girl.

Merle looked up, clearly surprised that he was actually engaging in a conversation. He usually kept quiet. He always kept quiet. Unless it was just him and Merle.

The girl followed his eyes to the sleeping form on the couch. "We don't know. She started feeling bad a few days ago. It got worse yesterday and that's why I stole the wallet. Besides, I already gave it back," she said as she shot Merle a glare. "Tom's gone. You can just take us back now. After what you did I don't think he'll hassle us anymore."

"Ya'll don't look old enough to be on your own. Can't her parents just take her to the doctor or somethin'?" Daryl asked, shocking Merle further.

The blonde shook her head, "Her folks are both dead. We're on our own."

Daryl finally tore his eyes away from the girl on the couch and met his brother's eyes. "Ya think we got enough money put back to get her somethin'?" He didn't even know why the hell he cared. Maybe it was because she had to have been as young as him and she was on her own. She had her friend, sure, but she didn't have family. He at least had his brother, and hopefully his dad, eventually. Another reason was the bruise that marred part of one side of her face. He'd had his fair share, much worse than she had.

"I bought some medicine for the fever. I don't know what else to do for her. I just want to get back. Thanks for helping with Tom," she said as she looked back at Merle. "I do appreciate it."

Merle shrugged. "Suit yourself, girly. You might wanna move your asses somewhere else though. Tom ain't the only type of fella like that out there. You're both goddamn lucky this is the first time either of ya bout got attacked by some asshole like that."

"It isn't," she muttered as she went to her friend on the couch and shook her shoulder. "Come on Carol, wake up," she urged, worry clear in her tone.

Daryl met Merle's eyes again and Merle, once more, seemed shocked at the pleading look that Daryl was giving him. He didn't want that girl to have to go back to the streets while she was sick. He knew what living on the streets was like and it wasn't easy on a good day. To be sick on top of that, he was having a severe case of empathy. Not to mention that that asshole Tom had hit her. She was lucky Merle had shown up when he did or hitting her wasn't the only thing the guy would have done.

Merle looked from him to the girl on the couch, his expression perplexed. But Merle understood the message that he was trying to relay to him through just a look. "Look, girly. Maybe you two can stick around for a few days. At least until your friend gets better. It ain't much but it's warm and if you go back out there, she ain't gonna heal up proper." He sounded like he wasn't really thrilled about inviting them to stick around for any amount of time.

Daryl wasn't really paying attention anymore. The girl on the couch, Carol, that was what the blonde girl said her name was, groaned and then went to sit up. She looked at Andrea for a second before her wide blue eyes flashed up and met his own. She held his gaze for a few long seconds before looking back at her friend. Daryl stayed as still as a statue as he stared at her.

"What the hell happened? Where are we?" She asked her friend.

"The big guy showed up right when we were making a run for it. He kicked the crap out of Tom. He won't be showing back up for a while."

He saw Carol shudder as she remembered what must have happened before she had blacked out. He wanted to know what Tom had done to her other than bruise her face but he wasn't about to ask. "And who are these guys?" She asked, looking them both over before returning those incredible blue eyes back onto her friend.

Incredible? Why the hell would that word pop into his head? They were eyes. Just like everyone else had a set of there own. Maybe he was coming down with something himself. He was thinking out of his ass all of a sudden.

"The name's Merle. This here is my brother Daryl. Your friend here stole my damn wallet last night. So when I saw her out on the street I followed her. Guess it was a good thing I did cause I found you in a bit of a stink."

"I'm Carol and this is Andrea and we need to go. Now," she said quickly as she went to stand up. She wasn't successful until Andrea wrapped one arm around her waist. She looked extremely pale and weak and Daryl found himself worrying about these two girls a lot more than he had any right too. He didn't worry about anyone. No one but him and Merle and Merle usually made sure he didn't even have to worry about them.

"Wait," Andrea said quickly. "Maybe we should stick around here until you're better. This guy saved our asses. If he wanted to hurt us then he would have done it back there."

Carol met her friends eyes and Daryl saw silent messages conveyed just like him and Merle had earlier. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Carol was hell bent on leaving. It was strange that she was more willing to face the streets in the cold before facing two harmless guys in a cabin. "I'm fine," she breathed.

"You don't seem very fine to me," Daryl said in a quiet voice. "There's a room in the back you two can sleep in till your ready to hit the road. Won't nobody here hurt ya or nothin'."

Merle openly gaped at him. "We needa talk right quick baby brother," he muttered as he grabbed Daryl's arm and hauled him out the front door. Once they were standing on the gravel drive Merle spun around. "What in the fuck is goin' on here?"

Daryl looked away, refusing to meet his eyes and refusing to answer the question. The truth was, he didn't know.

"Talk to me, kid," Merle said quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Daryl sighed and stepped out from under his brothers grip. "Just don't seem right sendin' them out there like that with that girl as sick as she is and all."

Merle nodded. "Yeah, I get that. What I don't get is why the hell you're stickin' your neck out for a couple of girls that you don't even know. And one of'em is a goddamn thief."

Daryl shook his head. "She needed money for her friend, Merle. You'd do the same shit for me and ya know it."

Merle huffed out a breath that clouded around his face. "You got yourself a crush on one of'em or somethin'?"

Daryl scowled. "No, ya dumb ass. Jesus, just cause I don't want'em out there on their own don't mean nothin'. I shoulda known you'd say somethin' like that. If you want then go on ahead and drop them back off where you found'em."

Merle smiled slightly and then shook his head. "You don't ever ask me for a goddamn thing. If ya wanna lend a couple of girl's your room then by hell, lend away." He threw his arm over Daryl's shoulders. Daryl shook his head as they headed back towards the house. He knew Merle wasn't going to let it go that easily. "Maybe they'll let you bunk with'em. It'd be a hell of a way to get your cherry popped. Both of'em are fine lookin' girls. That sickly one looks like she's got herself some fire in her."

Daryl groaned. "Jesus, shut up, Merle."

Merle laughed before they went back into the cabin. Daryl had a funny feeling that it wouldn't matter if those girls stayed or not. He'd opened himself up for a lot of jokes now. Merle was going to be merciless.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi! As you can see, I am free! But I'm ashamed to say that I really am a criminal =( Back in August of 2001 I wrote a bad check at a gas station for $11.51. I spent six days in jail and have paid back $300 for a thirteen year old check that totaled less than twelve bucks. As usual I am so impressed with our justice system. Again, much thanks to all of you for your thoughts and prayers and kindness. You are all amazing!**

**And finally we have Caryl! I hope you enjoy this one! Thanks for reading! And I am posting for Black Moon Blues tonight since I've had time to write for it! **

**Chapter Six**

Carol glared at Andrea. "You're leaving me here?" She hissed. She knew that this wasn't a permanent thing. They would stay on in the cabin with two perfect strangers while she healed up. Fine. Whatever. She saw the reasoning in it even though she didn't like the situation one bit. But now Andrea was going to take off with the older one and leave her alone with the guys little brother? That was unacceptable.

"Carol, you'll be fine in here. You need to rest and you have a real bed now. You need to get better. The sooner you heal up the sooner we can get out of here, okay? And Merle says he knows a guy that can get me a real fake ID. I can try to get an actual job and get us the hell off the streets. When you're better then he can take you to get one too. We need this."

Carol had been sleeping off and on ever since they had talked her into staying. Despite the fact she was lying in an actual bed she couldn't get comfortable. Everything still ached miserably and the fight that she had put up against Tom earlier had zapped her of all of her energy. And she was afraid. The older guy did seem a little bit intimidating but Andrea being there made her feel better about the whole situation. The younger one, Daryl, was different. He didn't seem very scary at all. He was more skittish than anything. But she still didn't want to be out in the middle of nowhere alone with him.

"At least they're hot," Andrea smiled before she put her hand to her forehead to check her temperature again. The smile fell away when her hand touched Carol's skin.

"I don't care how hot they are. We don't know them."

Andrea shook her head. "You'll be safe here. I don't know... there's just something about them that makes me trust them."

"I'm sure every murder victim felt the same way right before they were strangled by the hot guy," Carol muttered. "You've always been a sucker for a pretty face."

Andrea's playful smile returned, though the worry didn't leave her eyes. "You know, from what I can tell that youngest one is a sucker for a pretty face too. Did you see the way he was looking at you?"

If Carol wasn't running a brain frying fever she was sure she would have blushed. Andrea was an ass. The truth was, the youngest one seemed pretty... interesting. A lot of other words popped into her head when she recalled that fleeting gaze but she pushed them all to the back of her mind. Or she tried to at least.

"We'll be back soon, okay. This is a good thing Carol. Merle saved our asses out there."

With a sigh Carol nodded and watched as Andrea hurried out of the room. She was right. This was better than sleeping in a freezing car. For now, at least. When she was better they could leave and maybe they really could get jobs. The thought of their own apartment made her actually smile. They could decorate it however they wanted. They could have their own rooms. They could hit up all of the second hand stores around the city.

A tap at the bedroom door pulled her from her reverie. She didn't even have the strength to look up. "Come in," she tried to yell but it didn't really work that way. Whoever it was knocking must have heard her anyway because the door opened and Daryl walked in.

He glanced at her and then his eyes moved to the floor. "I didn't know how long it'd been since you had anything to eat. Might make ya feel a bit better if ya had somethin' in your stomach."

There was something in his quiet voice that had her sitting up and scooting until she was leaning against the headboard. He was mysterious. That was for sure. "I ate last night," she said, trying to sound stronger than she felt. She still didn't feel like she wanted to eat anything but her stomach chose that moment to rumble embarrassingly loud.

"I can grab ya somethin'. I cooked earlier. You're pretty lucky cause Merle can't cook worth a damn."

She tilted her head and studied him before speaking. He was certainly a good looking boy but it was more than that. There was something about his demeanor that put her at ease. "What did you cook?" She asked, wondering why she was bothering talking to the boy at all. She'd be leaving soon.

His eyes slid up and met hers. "Rabbit," he deadpanned.

She made a face. "Rabbit? Are you serious?"

The corner of his mouth lifted, transforming his face into something that had her speechless. Andrea was dead wrong. This guy wasn't just hot. He was beautiful. She shook the thought from her mind as soon as it entered but it was too late. The seed was planted and she caught herself really seeing the boy that was standing in front of her. Without that protective air of suspicion that she regarded most males with she was really able to see the boy. The strange feelings that stirred around in her chest were foreign and almost scared her in their intensity.

"It really ain't bad. I can try to find ya somethin' else but we really ain't too good at keepin' the fridge stocked. We mostly just eat what I catch."

She took a deep breath and then nodded. "I'll do it," she said gravely.

This earned her an outright grin that completely thrilled her. "You're actin' like I'm gonna feed ya fishin' bait or somethin'." The grin was fleeting. His face reddened and he looked at the floor.

"I've eaten outta dumpters. I can brave this," she said, still trying to sound grave and hoping he would give her that smile again.

Instead he looked at her from under a fringe of long hair. "I'll be back then," he said quietly.

She watched him walk away, leaving the door open on his way out. Maybe this was a good idea. It was kind of nice, actually. It had been just her and Andrea for such a long time. And she didn't think she would ever meet a boy that sparked her interest like this one did. He wasn't threatening at all.

~H~

Daryl turned the stove up and heated up some of the rabbit. He chuckled to himself thinking of her forlorn expression when she agreed to try the rabbit and then paused. How long had it been since he had laughed? He shook his head. He couldn't really remember, but the look on her face at the thought of eating rabbit was too funny.

She didn't seem to be like anyone else he'd met. She wasn't like the women Merle brought home. She didn't look at him like they did. Her face didn't stir those dreaded memories of his mother the way other women's did. She was different.

He came back, plate in hand, and was relieved to see that she was still sitting up. She looked pretty bad. Well, not bad really. Just sick. Really sick. He was kind of curious to see what she might look like with some color in her face. He handed her the plate and she stared at it for a few moments before looking up.

"It actually smells good," she smiled. It was a weak smile but it was a real one all the same.

He nodded. "Taste better than it smells," he muttered and then turned to leave her alone so she could eat in peace and maybe get some rest.

"Wait," she said in a loud voice.

He glanced over his shoulder, throwing her a curious look. She picked off a piece of meat and popped it into her mouth. Her eyes widened as she chewed slowly.

"You can stay if you want," she said after she finally swallowed the first experimental bite of food. "It's kind of boring, not having anyone to talk too."

He glanced around the room and then finally reached for the wooden chair that sat in the corner. He wasn't much for conversation. He wasn't sure what to talk about, really. The only other person he spent any amount of time with was Merle and Merle wasn't much of a talker either.

"So, it's just you and your brother here?" She asked after he sat down and instantly started chewing his thumb nail.

He glanced at her and then nodded. "Been here a while now. It belongs to a buddy of Merle's. Ain't much but it's better than anything we've had before." For him that was a mouthful.

She watched him thoughtfully. "You don't look any older than I am. Are you and your brother runaways too?"

It was a perfectly sensible question but no one had ever asked him that before. He didn't figure anyone cared much why or how Merle and him had ended up where they were. He wasn't too sure how to answer her. It was pretty obvious that her and her friend weren't any older than he was, and living on the streets to boot. Who would they tell? He nodded," Merle left home when he was fourteen and I was twelve. He came back three years later and took me with him. Been me and him ever since then. I turned seventeen last month."

She nodded and her eyes fell back to her plate. "It's a hard life," she said the words so quietly that he barely heard her and he replied without thinking twice about what he was about to say.

"Not as hard as it was before." He stiffened, wanting to take back the words as soon as they left his lips. He was only going to take a quick look at her, just to see what her expression was but once his eyes met hers they didn't waver. The words that she spoke then stirred something deep in his chest.

"No. Nothing as bad as that," she muttered, her voice low and her eyes searching his, but for what? He had no idea.

She sat the plate down next to her legs. She'd eaten most of the meat and now looked more exhausted than ever. He finally tore his eyes away from hers and stood up to take the plate. He wasn't sure what that was but he felt like something strange had just transpired here and it had him extra jumpy. He reached for the plate and turned around to leave her alone so she could get some sleep but suddenly he felt her hand snake out and grab his wrist lightly. He shocked himself when he didn't pull away. He simply stopped in his tracks and turned his head. The warmth if her hand searing itself into his skin and mind.

Her hand was like fire on his skin and he couldn't help but wonder how she was functioning with such a high fever. His eyes met hers again.

"Will you come back? I can't really sleep and I don't want to just sit here staring at the wall..." her voice trailed off and she dropped her hand back down to the bed. She looked embarrassed. He felt that way most of the time and he didn't want her to feel like that. Not with him.

"I suppose I could do that, if you ain't gonna try to get any rest."

She looked up and gave him a grateful smile. He felt himself returning it and then felt like a complete fucking idiot so he high tailed it out of the room.

This was definitely turning into one hell of a strange day. He still wished he had gone with his brother. With all the hard work he had to do around the cabin just to keep it in working order he was no longer the skinny teenager he had been even a year ago when he had moved in. Chopping wood and hunting food and carrying shingles up and down a ladder to fix the roof and all the other odds and ends that needed done. All of that had insured that he would muscle up a bit and Merle taught him how to fight early on.

If he would have seen Tom try to put his hands on the girl he would have kicked his ass worse than Merle did. That was Daryl's problem. Once he learned how to fight back he had taken advantage of it. He didn't hesitate to defend himself but he had a problem stopping once it started. Another reason to avoid people altogether.

He slipped back into the room, shutting the door behind him without even thinking. She had settled back down in the bed but she was still propped up on the pillows. His pillows. He stopped in his tracks when he saw what she was looking at so curiously. He cursed under his breath.

She looked at him and smiled. "I've loved this book since I was a little kid."

He let go of a breath he hadn't known he was holding and felt the corner of his mouth turn up. "Yeah. Me too."


	7. Chapter 7

**It took me a minute to get here. My computer isn't wanting to cooperate so I'm going to cut this short. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thank you all for reading! Have a safe weekend! =)**

**Chapter Seven**

Carol woke up feeling more comfortable than she had felt in a long time. She was warm and the pillow under her cheek smelled clean. The bed was soft and she felt herself smiling before she even opened her eyes. Her mind was a little fuzzy at first but it only took a second for her to remember everything from the day before.

Her eyes snapped open and she looked around the now familiar room. Her eyes landed on the empty chair that Daryl had occupied the night before. She hadn't gotten a whole lot out of him but she put pieces together pretty easily. She was observant and if the conversation, or her relentless questioning, started to make him feel uncomfortable she would catch on right away and then lead the conversation to safer territories.

She had found herself telling him things that only Andrea knew about her. She told him about what had happened to her parents and then about the years she had spent in foster care. She didn't talk about the times she had to fight off some of the foster fathers she had had. Or some of the other male foster kids she had been paired with. Instead she told him about other families she had lived with. Better families. There was one man and woman in particular that had fostered her and another boy a bit younger than her. Hershel and his wife had been great. Taking them fishing and on camping trips.

She sighed, remembering the conversation she had had with Daryl. Remembering how close she had come to having a family again. Hershel and his wife had wanted to adopt Carol but they were deemed too old. The system Carol had been in apparently thought it unwise to let an older couple adopt a teenaged girl.

Daryl had seemed saddened by a lot of her stories, even the good ones, and she wondered why. She sat up and ran a hand through her unruly hair. She was sure she looked like crap but she felt amazing compared to how she had been feeling all week. The food, the rest, the warmth and maybe even the company had done wonders for her. Not to mention the extra medicine that Merle had bought her.

She was sure that she was no longer running a fever. She still felt a little weak but that was to be expected. It was nothing like how she had felt yesterday morning before Tom had found her in that car. She pushed the thick quilt back and slipped out of bed. The floor was cold under her bare feet but it was nothing like the feel she was used to waking up with. Usually her frozen feet were stuffed into her sneakers for warmth.

The door had been left open so the heat from the fireplace could keep the room warm. The rest of the house was silent and she realized then that it must have been extremely early. She noticed Andrea, sleeping soundly on a thick pallet she had made out of spare blankets in front of the fireplace. Merle was sprawled out on the sofa, his arm draped over his eyes. She didn't spot Daryl anywhere but she wasn't surprised.

From what he told her he was an early riser that spent a lot of mornings outside. As she made her way to the bathroom she fished a rubber band out of her pocket and swept her hair back and secured it as best she could without a brush.

The cabin didn't have many windows so the back of the room, where the bathroom was located, was cloaked in shadows. As soon as she reached the door it opened up quickly, the bathroom light clicking of swiftly. Her reflexes were slow because of how sick she had been and she smacked right in to a bare chest. Her hands went up on instinct, making contact with damp skin.

They both froze and her eyes had adjusted enough to get a clear view of Daryl's surprised expression. His eyes were wide and unsure, just like she was sure her own were. His hands were at his sides, hers were still on him, palms pressed flat against a solid chest. His pulse quickened drastically as the seconds ticked by. His smell was all around her, even clinging to her own clothes from the blankets she had used that obviously belonged to him. She almost felt dizzy with sensory overload when her healing body decided to react strangely to his close proximity.

"You cold?" he whispered, still not moving.

She shook her head but couldn't remember how to work her mouth.

"Then why's yer hands shakin' like that?"

She blinked, his voice lulling her even deeper into this strange spell that had fallen over her, until his actual words sunk in and she dropped her hands quickly. "I'm sorry. I didn't see you there," she whispered back. Her eyes left his, traveling down to his lips and then further down still. She jumped when he suddenly stepped around her.

"It's alright. Didn't expect nobody to be up this early," he said on his way by, keeping his voice low like he wasn't too keen on waking anyone up yet. He pulled on a shirt and then turned. "Your friend did some washin' last night," he nodded towards a bag sitting on the floor not far from the bathroom door.

She didn't say anything else. She hurriedly snatched up the bag and made her way to the bathroom shutting the door behind her as quietly as she could. There was still steam coating the small mirror above the sink and she wiped it away so she could get a decent look at herself. She groaned at her reflection.

Her face looked pale and washed out, those annoying freckles that everyone else thought were adorable stood out stark against the unhealthy paler of her skin. There was slight bruising on one side of her face that did nothing to help. Her hair was a complete disaster. Even pulled back the dark red curls looked dull and lifeless.

Reaching for the bag she began going through the freshly washed clothes, overly thankful for them. It wasn't often they were able to take their clothes to the laundry and it was nice to have something clean to put on. She had one pair of jeans that were in pretty good shape because she didn't wear them often. Andrea was always nagging her to wear them but she rarely did for fear of putting the wrong vibe out there. Besides, the streets were no place for white bell bottoms. She thought they were a little too tight in the ass but Andrea swore she looked good in them. Maybe looking good was something she could accomplish here. Looking good out there was just screaming for some sort of trouble.

She wasn't sure what had gotten into her out there with Daryl. She'd never acted that way before and she felt ridiculous now. She snatched up a gray, threadbare long sleeved t-shirt that Andrea had picked up at a Goodwill featuring the band The Runaways on it as a joke. Andrea had the same band on her shirt but hers was even more ironic because it advertised their hit song Cherry Bomb. Cliche or not, it was the first shirt Carol grabbed out of the bag.

She told herself she would make this a quick shower but she knew she was lying. Once she got in there the chances of her getting out were slim since a real hot shower was another luxury she wasn't used too. Hopefully she would feel even better once she was done and if she happened to look better in the process then that would just be a perk.

~H~

Daryl didn't know why the hell he was waiting around in the house for. He would normally be long gone by now or at least getting more wood together. But no. Right now he was fiddling around in the kitchen, wasting the morning away doing nothing.

He was lying to himself. He knew exactly what the hell he was doing. He was waiting on her and he felt like the biggest idiot in Georgia for doing so. After that embarrassing ass dream he had had the night before he should have done everything in his power to stay away from that damn girl. He felt his face flush at the memory but he couldn't banish it from his mind. He'd never had a dream like that before and he hoped he never had another one. The thought of one of the others waking up and getting an eyeful of the obvious tent in his pants would have been fucking mortifying.

At least she would have plenty of hot water. He was pretty sure he hadn't used any at all after he realized that the problem he had woken up with wasn't going to go down without an arctic blast. And then she had to run right into him. What the hell was that all about? He expected her to move right away but she hadn't. He could still remember the way her hands felt on him, just like in that stupid dream, and he hadn't been able to step away from her. He wasn't a touchy feely kind of guy. As a matter of fact there was an unspoken rule about his personal space that most people realized quickly. But not this morning. She could have climbed right on top of him after running into him like that and he wouldn't have protested a bit.

Son of a bitch! Why would he put that image in his own head? He was a glutton for punishment. He was setting himself up to make an ass of himself was what he was doing. He was...

"I figured you'd be long gone by now," she said from right behind him.

He turned around, refusing to meet her eyes now that he had let himself stew on the memory of that bullshit dream. Unfortunately since he wasn't planning on looking her in the eye he found himself looking elsewhere. The shirt she had on was tight, clinging to every single curve she had and his eyes zeroed in on her breasts, just like any other horny teenager would. It wasn't uncommon for girls to go without bras now days. He'd never paid too much attention to that fact before but she wasn't just anybody. And yesterday she had been wearing that huge sweat shirt so he had no clue how, in that dream last night, he had gotten every detail of them right. Of course, she'd have to take the shirt off before he could really decide on whether he had...

"Do you like them?" She asked quietly.

"What?" He croaked loudly as his eyes shot up to finally meet hers.

She looked down at her shirt and then back up. "The Runaways. Do you like that band?"

Thank fucking Christ! For a second there he thought she had known he had been staring right at her chest. He shook his head, licking his lips nervously. "Nah. Ain't all about women takin' over the music industry. They should leave that shit to us." He hadn't even meant it as a joke but she laughed anyway. He finally let himself study her, since the awkward tension was broken. She looked better. Much better actually. The bruise on her face wasn't too bad and she had color in her cheeks that had been missing yesterday. Her eyes were even brighter.

"It's true," he kept going with it. "You guys think you can take over damn near everything but the truth is, men do things a lot better most of the time."

She snorted and he found himself fighting back a small laugh at her outraged expression. "Women can do anything a man can do," she said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

He was feeling much more comfortable now. After all that time they had spent talking the night before he found himself slipping into that strange playful mood she had coaxed out of him. "Is that right?" He asked, tilting his head in imitation of her while studying the long milky expanse of throat that she left exposed.

"Yes, that's right."

"Can you piss standin' up?" He asked, his voice giving away no trace of humor.

She scowled. "Well of course not, but that doesn't count."

He shrugged. "Face it, women just ain't cut from the same stone as men."

Her eyes narrowed and she leaned her hip into the table, arms still crossed defiantly. "You're right, Daryl. You men work twice as hard as us females do."

His brows shot up. Surely she had more fight in her than that. "Glad you came to your senses."

She nodded, "Of course, that's only because a woman gets the job done right the_ first_ time." She grinned and then winked before she turned to stroll back towards the living room.

She saw them as soon as he did. He was surprised he hadn't noticed them until now. Merle and Andrea were both standing there, watching them with the same expressions on their faces. They both seemed to be a bit shocked. He couldn't help but groan out loud. Merle was sure going to hound him now. And really, he couldn't even blame him for it. Daryl himself wasn't even sure what had gotten into him so he knew the way he was acting now had to be a shock to his brother.

He wondered briefly how much of their banter the other two had witnessed. Obviously enough to cause them both to stare at them like him and Carol both had grown an extra head. He wished he could find it in himself to ignore the girl. That would make his life much easier.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Carol felt like the biggest idiot in the world. Merle had jumped at the opportunity to get Daryl alone outside and now Andrea was staring at her, that smug look on her face causing Carol to cringe inwardly. This was all her fault. There would be no sense in getting mad at Andrea for it.

"You_ like_ him," she said once the awkward silence had gone on so long Carol couldn't help but wonder if the other girl had gone mute.

Carol snorted. "Of course I do. He's really nice. He has bad taste in music but he's nice."

Andrea studied her with a huge grin plastered across her face. "You don't just like him. You_ like_ him. You should have seen yourself!"

Carol groaned and ran a hand through her damp hair. "Andrea, are you insane? Look at that boy. Look at me. I'm just..."

"Beautiful," Andrea deadpanned, her face growing serious. "One of the most beautiful people I've ever met and if you try to act like you aren't then I swear I'm gonna..."

"Andrea," Carol admonished gently, unable to stay annoyed at her best friend. "What I meant was that he has to be... involved with somebody. I was just going to say that I'm just some girl passing through."

Andrea shook her head, her eyes taking on that knowing look. "That's the thing. He is very _un-involved_ from what his brother tells me. He's pretty much a self imposed shut in. He doesn't talk to anyone really. He doesn't have any close friends and from what Merle tells me, he can't recall him ever even having a girlfriend. Ever!"

Carol looked at her like she was crazy. That couldn't be true. He seemed really shy at first but by the time she had finally gotten so exhausted that she was dosing off they had been having a decent time. Of course, she was pretty sure that he was feeling sorry for her because of how sick she was.

"You like him," Andrea insisted. "You were totally picturing him naked and he was checking you out too."

Carol groaned and pushed past her into the living room. "We need to think about getting out of here. We don't need to think about boys."

"Getting out of here and going back to what? That broke down car we were living out of? Back to worrying about Tom or someone just like him finding us with our guard down?" If Carol didn't know any better she would have sworn that Andrea sounded angry. She had never known of Andrea having any kind of a temper.

She turned around and put her hands on her hips. "What are you saying?"

Andrea looked at the floor for a few moments and then looked back up quickly. She almost looked guilty. "Merle said that we could stay here until we found jobs and got ourselves off the streets."

Carol's mouth dropped open with an audible pop.

"Before you say anything you should really think about it," Andrea said, knowing Carol was going to think of every reason _not_ to stay here.

"Where would we sleep? This is a one bedroom cabin!"

Andrea crossed her arms over her chest. "We live in a car. And it isn't even ours! It was a car that some guys stripped and left in an alley. Carol, we can have a house! We can have the life that we've spent the last two years talking about. So what if we have to sleep on the floor in this cabin! At least it's warm!"

Carol knew that she was right. Not only that, but deep down, she wanted to stay here. She wanted to get to know the strange boy that had taken care of her the night before. But it scared her. The things he made her think about scared her. But there wasn't anything she could say that would make sense. "How the hell did you and Merle get so close in what little time you've known him?"

Andrea shrugged. "I made out with him last night."

Carol's mouth dropped open again. "Andrea!"

Andrea just laughed. "He's hot."

Carol was starting to feel a little drained. She was better but her strength wasn't back yet. She sat down heavily on the couch and Andrea joined her. She knew she was right. Sleeping on the floor in a house was much better than sleeping in a cold car. Not to mention this place wasn't in the middle of the city and from what she could tell they were pretty much protected here. Daryl and Merle obviously wouldn't let anyone hurt them. Her mind went back to the way the muscles of his chest felt under her hands. And then what Andrea had said about him not ever having a girlfriend.

"Well, if nothing else, the next few weeks are probably going to be pretty interesting," Carol said as she laid her head against the back of the couch.

Andrea grinned. "I think you're right.

~H~

Daryl reveled in the ache in his arms as the ax swung down and split into the log. He'd made a mad dash for the woodpile as soon as Merle got him outside. He didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to have to answer the questions that he knew Merle was about to ask him because he wasn't sure how he would answer them.

Merle watched him with his arms crossed in front of him. He was going to stand there until Daryl ran out of wood, and then what? He couldn't just take off running towards the forest. That wouldn't make any sense. He didn't even have his crossbow on him.

"What the hell was that all about?" Merle asked when Daryl finally took a break long enough to wipe the sweat off his brow.

"Don't know what you're talkin' about," Daryl muttered as he tossed the ax to the side and placed his hands on his hips. He might as well get this over with.

Merle rolled his eyes. "Look baby brother. How long we been together?" He looked at Daryl pointedly as if he was going to force him to tell him something that he already knew.

"Two years, Merle," he grumbled as he bent down to pick up the firewood he had chopped so he could stack it by the front door.

"Right. And in them two years how many ladies have you fucked?" Merle asked.

"Holy shit, Merle," Daryl groaned. "This don't have nothin' to do with anything like that."

"You had drool on your chin when you was starin' at them perfect tits of hers," Merle followed him to the front door.

Daryl took a deep breath and made sure his face was neutral before he turned back around to face his brother. "You don't know what you're talkin' about, Merle." His voice was as calm as his face. He hoped. He actually wanted to kick his brother's ass right now. Why the hell was Merle looking at Carol like that to begin with? "And you ain't got no business lookin' at her like that. This ain't got nothin' to do with sex."

"Sure it does, baby brother. I've brought plenty of different women up here, two at a time more often than not, and you ain't so much as looked in their general direction. You lock yourself up in your room. But not yesterday. Yesterday I bring in a couple half frozen street pups and you lose your shit!"

"She was sick, Merle," Daryl argued as he stomped past him to get more wood.

"She ain't lookin' all too sick no more baby brother. You ready for her to pack up and take off?"

Daryl frowned. He hadn't thought of that. It was funny that the analogy Merle used was pups because he was close to asking if he could keep her. "I spose she's bout ready to head back to the city then," he muttered.

Merle huffed at Daryl's indifference. "I worry about you, you know that?"

Daryl's gaze landed on Merle and he scowled. "I ain't no fuckin' kid that needs you frettin' over me. There ain't nothin' to worry about when it comes to me. You like to run around and stick your dick in anything with a pulse. I don't wanna go runnin' around with a bunch of people. I don't like shit like that. That don't mean I'm some kinda fucked up retard." He was getting pissed off. He just wanted Merle to drop it.

"The shit you had to go through with that bitch. Maybe it fucked you up more than you think," Merle said in a low voice that definitely was filled with concern.

Daryl felt his face flush. Did his brother really think there was something fucked up in his head just because he would rather spend time in the woods than with a bunch of people? Was that how Merle looked at him? Like he was some kind of damaged freak. He opened his mouth to say something but shut it quickly when the front door opened and the girls walked out. Instantly Carol's eye sought his out and he met them unflinchingly. She smiled, almost shyly.

"Everything alright out here?" Andrea asked as she looked from his face to his brother's.

Merle just sighed, like he was disappointed with the way the conversation had ended. Like he was disappointed in him. Carol really did look like she felt better. "You wanna take a walk or somethin'? It ain't gonna be warm like this forever. Might as well enjoy it while we can," he said suddenly.

Merle's head whipped around and he stared at him quizzically.

"Sure," Carol shrugged as she slipped a hoodie on. Once it was zipped up he realized that this wasn't going to help him out any when it came to staring at her. It hugged her every curve, just like the t-shirt did.

She walked towards him, Merle watching with narrowed eyes. "How come you never ask me to go on walks, asshole?" Merle called after them once they had started walking towards a well worn path at the tree line.

Merle's words replayed in his ears. Was there something wrong with him? Even if there wasn't it was pretty obvious that Merle thought that there was. He glanced over his shoulder, summoned up as much courage as he could and smiled, "Maybe I would, if you looked as good in a Runaways t-shirt."

He didn't wait for Merle's response. He felt his face flame at his bold words and he made sure that he kept his eyes focused on the path and not on her.

"Aren't you cold?" She asked after a while, forcing him to glance at her.

She had pulled the hood up over her head and had her hands shoved into her pockets. He had taken his own jacket off once he started chopping wood, but now that she mentioned it he was feeling the chill in the air now.

"Not really," he lied. "But if you wanna go back then we can. I just get sick of Merle's mouth sometimes."

"I don't want to just yet," she said as she glanced over. "I wanted to talk to you anyway."

He felt himself tense but he wasn't sure why. "Bout what?"

"Did Merle mention to you that he told Andrea that the two of us could stay here?" She asked quickly.

He turned on the path so he was facing her fully, frowning down at her. "He didn't mention that. He just said that you was on the mend and would probably be wantin' to head out."

She looked uncomfortable as she stuffed her hands into her pockets again. "Well, that's the thing. I feel a lot better just after one night here. At first I thought it was a stupid idea but now... I don't know. Maybe we can get ourselves off the streets that way. I don't want another run in with Tom or anyone like him. But I don't want to put you out or anything. It's your house."

He studied her for a few moments but she kept her eyes downcast. She was waiting on him to say something and he wasn't sure what he was suppose to say. "So, if ya wanna stay then what's the problem? Merle offered."

She looked up then, the sunlight causing the blue of her eyes to take on the exact shade of the sky. "I wasn't sure if you'd be as okay with it as your brother. The cabin's small and we're two more mouths to feed and..."

"I don't mind if ya stay for a while," he muttered as he looked away.

"Is it because of how good I look in this t-shirt?"

He met her eyes again and she was grinning at him. He narrowed his eyes at her. "You ain't gonna let me live that one down, are ya?" He hoped to god that she didn't notice how red his face had gotten.

She shook her head. "I don't get compliments often. I'll probably be bringing this up for a while," she winked and then stepped around him, leaving him standing there for a moment as she made her way down the trail. He let her take the lead for a little while. The view from this angle was pretty damn amazing.


	9. Chapter 9

**I've been dealing with a bit of writers block so I must apologize. I know I have two more stories to update for and I promise I am working on it. I also want to let you guys know that the lovely BluIcy has posted her very first story and if you haven't read it then you must. She has a natural talent that shows! In my book, she is already one of the best. Yes, it is that obvious. Not only that but she is one hell of a supporter of Caryl and Caryl writers. You've probably all been cheered on by her at some point so return the favor and give her a shot! You will thank me later =)**

**Chapter Nine**

**One month later...**

**December 22nd 1978**

"I can't believe they did this," Carol hissed as she slammed the bedroom door and stomped across his room. She plopped down gracelessly onto his bed. "Do you have any idea how many people are out there? And this is _not _a Christmas party either. Merle said Christmas party when he told us about this earlier! This is a drunken slutty marijuana party. That's what it is. I've never seen so many..." She trailed off, clearly flustered.

"Drunken sluts?" Daryl asked lazily, keeping his eyes on the bow he was cleaning.

"Yes. Drunken sluts. I can't even believe Andrea isn't mad about this. Your brother is such a..." Again she paused in her outrage, searching for the right word.

"Asshole?" Daryl finished for her again, still not looking up. He was sitting at the foot of the bed, back against the wall and legs crossed Indian style, as serene as could be while she was fuming. He was struggling to keep the smile off his face but it was hard.

"Yes. He is very much an asshole. Why aren't you out there? Everywhere you look is cleavage." She crossed her arms over her chest and scowled. These were the times when Daryl found it the hardest to not stare at her.

"Cause I ain't interested in VD," he muttered.

She chuckled and he looked over so he could watch her. He had never considered himself funny before. Quite the opposite actually. But he found himself going out of his way, and way out of his comfort zone, just to make her laugh. Her and Andrea had been staying with them for a month. That month had probably been the best month he had ever spent in his life. He found it easy to talk to her. And when he wasn't in the mood to talk he didn't mind listening to her rambling on about this and that. It took him a few days to really get used to her being around him all the time. But after that he couldn't imagine how he hadn't died of boredom before she had showed up. Other than when they were sleeping they spent all of their time together...

"I'm sleeping in here from now on!" She said suddenly as she sat up.

He froze and let his eyes slide up until they met hers. "What?" Ever since she had gotten better she had moved out to the other room and he got his bed, and privacy back.

She glanced towards the door and then looked back at him. "Your brother and Andrea had sex last night."

His eyebrows shot up at that. He was more surprised by the fact that Merle and Andrea hadn't done it sooner than now. "What makes you think they ain't been going at it this whole time?"

She moved around until she was sitting on her knees in the middle of his bed. "Because I would have heard it just like I heard it last night. You wouldn't believe what I saw. I'm never sitting on that couch again," she made a face.

He scoffed. "It ain't much of a big deal really. It ain't like you ain't never done it before." He held his breath and waited for her to agree to his statement. He had never came right out and asked her but he assumed. She was fucking beautiful and nice and outgoing as far as he could tell. There was no reason for her to have never been with a guy. Especially considering how long she had been on the streets before Merle had found her.

Instead of hearing her answer he felt something slam into the side of his head. It didn't hurt but it was enough to startle him. He looked up and was surprised to see that her face was now very close to his as she leaned forward, glaring at him. "I haven't ever done it before, you jerk. But it's nice of you to assume I have."

Relief flooded his system. It wasn't like she was his girlfriend or anything. He didn't know why this news would be such a boost for him. He would have smiled but he stopped it. She looked pretty pissed. "I just figured..." He didn't even have time to finish his sentence when she hit him again.

"Figured what? That I was like those women out there?"

He scowled. "Quit hittin' me in the head. Anybody ever tell you that you're violent?" He sat the crossbow down next to the bed. "And if you was anything like them women out there then you sure as hell wouldn't be on my bed. And there ain't no way in hell I'd let one of'em get away with tryin' to start some kinda girly pillow fight with me."

She huffed and then dropped the pillow, looking down at her hands that were resting on her thighs. He hadn't realized that he had actually hurt her feelings. The thought just about made him sick. He didn't know how to fix whatever it was he had done wrong.

"Are you mad now?" He asked cautiously, figuring that coming right out with it was better than beating around the bush.

She looked up and he could have sworn her eyes looked a little wet. He almost panicked, moving up himself until he was on his knees too, just a mere twelve inches away from her.

"Hey, I didn't mean nothin' by it. No sense in gittin' your feathers ruffled," he said quietly, hoping he hadn't messed up what was, until now, a very comfortable friendship. His first real friendship at all, really. He hated to think that he could mess it up.

She finally shrugged. "What about you?"

He shook his head, "I don't get my feathers ruffled as easy as you." He kept a straight face.

"You know what I mean," she pressed, not falling for his attempt at changing the subject.

He shook his head again. "You don't even wanna know." He really didn't want to tell her that she was the only female he had ever let get close enough to even touch him casually. People looked at guys and girls different when it came to stuff like that. Guys were expected to be experienced. He wasn't sure what to expect but it surely wasn't the flash of anger in her eyes.

"Oh," was all she said before she made a break for it and tried to crawl off of the bed.

He didn't like the sound of that one muttered word and he didn't understand the anger in her eyes but he did know he couldn't let her storm out all pissed off at him. Merle stormed off all the time after he had pissed him off but she wasn't Merle and the thought of her being mad at him didn't sit well with him at all. Before she even made it to the edge of the bed he grabbed her by the ankle and yanked her back towards him.

She lost her balanced and fell onto her stomach but rolled over quickly and eyed him in surprise. This new position he had put them in was awkward. She was on her back, leaning up on her elbows and he was knelt right there in front of her, still on his knees.

"What are you pissed off about now?" He asked.

"I'm not," she lied and he could see it in her eyes. Something occurred to him then but it didn't really make sense. She hadn't been mad until he had avoided the sex question. But why would that have pissed her off?

Should he go ahead and tell her the truth and risk her thinking he was some kind of loser that couldn't get laid? And what if that wasn't even what she was mad about? Or what if she wasn't mad at all and he was just reading her all wrong.

He sighed, making a split second decision. "None," he said quickly and studied her eyes closely. She blinked and then frowned.

"What?" she asked, clearly not understanding what he was talking about. This was even worse than he thought.

"None. I ain't riskin' catchin' some kinda crotch rot from the kind of women Merle brings around. You happy now?"

She grinned, causing him to relax. "Have you kissed a lot of girls?" Her mood instantly brightened, her eyes softening and taking on that mischievous light that told him she was about to embarrass the shit out of him.

"Have you?" What was with her and all the questions. He knew she could see by now that his ears were on fire from embarrassment. Maybe she wasn't as nice as he thought she was.

She shook her head, her crystal blue orbs as innocent as a newborn babies. "I've never kissed a girl in my life." She laughed and then took the pillow that she had been hitting him with and shoved it under her head as she studied him.

"I ain't never really been around anybody I felt like kissin', smart ass." Not until now anyway. Like they had a mind of their own his eyes traveled down to her lips. They looked soft and the thought of actually tasting them caused his head to reel.

"What about me?" She asked quietly.

His eyes shot back up to meet hers, his heart knocking a strange rhythm against his ribs. Surely he had heard her wrong. And what if he hadn't? And what if he told her the truth? He had already kissed her in his mind at least thirty times. He dreamed about kissing her every night since she had gotten there. Most times he dreamed about doing a lot more than kissing. "What about you?" He finally asked, his voice as low as her own.

"Have you ever thought about it?" He couldn't read her expression anymore. There was no joking. There was a sudden flush spreading across her cheeks. He swallowed hard.

"What if I have?" He asked, not knowing what else to say.

She shrugged. "Well, if I've never kissed anybody and you've never kissed anybody and you're the only friend I've ever really had other than Andrea then maybe we should just kiss each other. You know, get it out of the way."

Daryl froze up a little. He wanted too. He just didn't know what to do with the knowledge that he now held. She _wanted_ him to kiss her.

"Daryl?"

He swallowed again. "Okay." He had no idea how to go about doing this. She wasn't making a move to get up so what the hell was he suppose to do? Did he climb on top of her? Not that he would mind that at all but he wasn't sure how she would feel about it. Jesus, this was so stupid. If he was anything like his brother he would have had those threadbare pajama bottoms tossed into the corner of his room somewhere and he'd finally be figuring out if she...

She sat up, bracing herself with one arm and snaking her other one around his neck, pulling him closer. There was a strange look in her eyes right before she closed them. He did the same and let her guide him closer. When his lips finally hit their mark it felt like an electric jolt ran straight from her mouth to his crotch.

Her lips were as soft as he had always imagined and neither one of them made a move for a few seconds but then he tilted his head slightly, her lips parting at the same time and his tongue swept into her mouth like it had a mind of it's own. When she made some sort of satisfied sound in the back of her throat he heard his own breath hitch.

She liked it. More than liked it, probably, since now both of her arms were wound around his neck and he was easing her back without even realizing what he was doing. This wasn't just kissing to get kissing out of the way. The way her hands felt in his hair and the way her tongue coaxed his own into a slow languid dance was more than getting something out of the way just so you could say that you've done it.

In the back of his mind there was a voice telling him that he needed to stop. When her head was back on the pillow he made sure to keep himself braced above her. She didn't need to know exactly what kind of reaction his body was having to this little experiment. That still didn't stop her from running her foot up his calf. Damn it, he wanted to get closer. Much closer.

Without his knowledge his hand had traveled over the supple swell of her hip, up her waist and now rested precariously close to the bottom swell of her breast. In the back of his mind he noted that the loud music coming from the living room had quieted but the blood rushing behind his ears could have had something to do with that. He reluctantly pulled away, trying desperately to catch his breath once he realized that his chest was heaving.

"Daryl, please don't stop," she panted.

Holy. Shit.

Any restraint that he had possessed crashed around him at her quietly pleading voice. Every insecurity that had plagued him seemed to cease in that moment and he felt overpowered by it. The only other place he had ever felt this way was in the woods, alone and in control of everything around him. But this was different. He felt more alive than he had since he was child.

His lips met hers without hesitation this time and he lowered his body over hers. Her knees came up, her thighs pressing into his hips as a soft whimper escaped her. His head was swimming, slowing everything down except for his hammering heart. He felt almost drunk, his hand traveling up those last few inches until the softness of her breast was straining against his palm through the material of her simple button down shirt. It was the first time he had been totally thankful that she was so poor that she couldn't afford things that most people could. Things like bras.

She moaned low in her throat and his eyes snapped open as his lips slowed against hers. Her hand covered his and she urged him on, forcing him to message her breast through her shirt. He obliged, eliciting a gasp from her when he unintentionally rolled his hips creating a delicious friction that had him groaning loudly.

A low chuckle from the other side of the room had him freezing, breaking the kiss and turning his head sharply.

Standing there next to a grinning Merle and a gaping Andrea was about the only person in the world that could completely distract him from Carol at the moment. He quickly removed his hand from her breast and raised up on his arms as a slow smile spread over the newcomer's lips, his eyes sparkling as he took in the scene before him. A giant of a man that he hadn't seen in many years. Buck Dixon.

"Didn't mean to interrupt, baby boy. I'll be out there whenever you... get done with what you're doin' in here."

Daryl blushed furiously and he nodded quickly, watching as they made their way out of the room, Merle popping his head back in to give him a thumbs up before shutting the door behind him.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi all! I'm coming down with the flu. Just thought I would throw that out there. It doesn't really have anything to with anything. I just like to whine about things loudly. ;) Anyway, I hope the rest of you are doing well! For those of you that don't know, BluIcy posted her first chapter to her new story tonight! Check it out if you are desperate for more Caryl. It's great stuff! Thank you all for reading!**

**Chapter Ten**

Carol found it hard to catch her breath. She had never in her life felt like this. She felt like her blood was made of fire. Her heart was pounding and her head was spinning. The hulking man walked out of the room with Merle and Andrea and even though the spell was broken her body was still screaming for him to touch her and her lips tingled in anticipation. At the same time she was totally embarrassed by how she had acted. There was no way he would believe she was a virgin now. Not the way she pretty much offered herself to him, pleading with him not to stop.

And she would have allowed anything to happen. Even now, if he kissed her again, she would sink right back into that strange place his lips and tongue had taken her to. She licked her lips, tasting him there.

He turned his head and looked down at her, his face flaming but his eyes were dark and hungry. She wasn't sure what she was suppose to do now. The friendship that they had built over the past month was precious to her and now she was growing terrified that she had done some serious damage to it by suggesting something like kissing. She still didn't know why she had done it. She didn't regret it. Not yet. But if he pulled away from her then she definitely would want to kick herself in the ass for destroying one of the only things in her life that was good.

"Was that okay?" He asked, his voice laced with uncertainty. His eyes searched hers but he didn't move off of her.

She nodded and felt a slow smile spread over her lips. "That was very okay," she said breathlessly. She bit her lip and waited for his reaction. He looked towards the door again and that was enough to remind her that they had been caught and that one of the people to catch them was a very large man that she had never seen before but still looked vaguely familiar.

"I gotta get out there," he said when his eyes went back to hers.

She nodded. "Who was the big guy?"

He smiled. It lit up his face and she blinked stupidly as she looked him over. "My ol' man."

He had mentioned his dad only once and that was just to tell her that he wasn't around. She hadn't been sure where either of his parents were but she knew that when she brought them up in passing he didn't look very comfortable. She stopped bringing them up. "You should get out there then," she returned the smile as she pushed on his chest.

He nodded and then rolled off of her onto his back as he rubbed at his eyes with the heels of his hands. "I might need a minute," he grumbled.

She sat up and frowned, looking down at him curiously. "Do you two get along okay?" She didn't want him to have to face the man if they had any bad blood.

He glanced at her and nodded. "Hell yeah we do. My dad's a good guy. A great guy, really."

"Then how come you need a minute before you go out there to see him?" She asked, her eyes wide and worried.

He rolled his eyes at her. "You really are a virgin, ain't ya?"

She felt the blood rush up to her face when she realized what his problem was. She had felt it right there between her legs when he was on top of her. Her chest fluttered with a strange sensation at the thought of causing that reaction. He wanted her. Others had wanted her in the past but she had never been wanted by someone that she wanted back.

"I'll go ahead and leave you alone," she said quickly, not sure if she really wanted to leave the room. She didn't want to deal with Andrea right now.

She was about to get up but Daryl's hand suddenly had her wrist in a light grip. She looked at him questioningly. He looked worried and she was about to ask him what was wrong when he suddenly spoke. "Where alright, right?"

She smiled once she realized that he was worried about them not being okay anymore.

"Yeah, we are," she said with a smile.

He gave her a nod and then dropped her hand. When she left the room she was surprised to see that the party was over. Three heads turned and stared at her as she shut the door behind her. Her face burned as she gave them a weak wave and a half smile. Daryl's dad looked as though he were trying not to laugh at her and Andrea was still looking at her like she didn't even know her anymore.

This night was going to be a lot longer than she thought it would.

~H~

Daryl finally hauled himself up from the bed and ran his hand through his overgrown hair. Carol had left him alone in his room no more than five minutes ago and it had taken that long to fight through his raging thoughts and finally calm himself down. It was embarrassing. Really embarrassing.

He made his way out to the living room, pulling his door shut silently. He was excited to see his dad. It had been eight years since he had been locked away and he had missed him terribly. Especially those years that he didn't have his dad or Merle around. Buck was sitting on the couch, facing Merle. They were talking in low voices and Daryl couldn't help but notice that Andrea and Carol, and all of the other people Merle had invited over tonight, were nowhere to be seen.

Merle was the one that looked up and noticed him first. His brother couldn't hide the huge grin that broke out over his face, causing Daryl to wish the floor would swallow him up. "Romeo! It's about damn time you came out to say hello to the old man. The girls are around here somewhere. Carol's prolly braggin' on your moves," Merle winked.

Daryl shook his head and took a few steps closer as Buck stood up. He was as huge as ever, thick muscles covering his arms and chest. His hair was long, flowing past his shoulders, his beard and mustache trimmed up just enough to bring an even more dangerous edge to his look. He was dressed much like he was the day that Daryl and Merle had watched him get hauled off by the police. That had been eight years ago. He was dressed in black biker boots, black jeans and a leather jacket with the patches from the MC he had belonged to years before he was arrested. The one he no doubt belonged to still.

"Goddamn, kid. I wouldn't even have recognized ya if I saw ya on the street," Buck grinned as he pulled Daryl closer and nearly crushed him in a hug.

Daryl wasn't sure what to say to the man. He'd missed him something awful but he couldn't help but feel a little angry towards him. If he would have kept his nose clean and not gotten himself thrown in prison in the first place then every damn thing that happened to him could have been avoided. If he would have been there then Daryl would have been able to hug him back without tensing like he was preparing himself for a beating.

"I missed you, boy," Buck murmured right before he dropped his arms and took a step back. He looked him up and down and then nodded in approval. "Sorry bout earlier. Merle told me that you wasn't fuckin' that pretty little red head. I woulda waited." He winked.

Daryl shot a smug looking Merle a glare. "Me and her ain't like that," he said lamely.

This got a laugh from both of them but Merle was the one to finally speak up. "I woulda said the same thing little brother, but looks like the two of ya was close to rippin' clothes off."

Daryl ran a hand through his hair and glared at his brother. He looked around once more but the girls weren't anywhere to be seen. Andrea had probably dragged Carol outside. He couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"Been lookin' for you boys for a few months now. Got me a place down in Savannah. Your grandpa's old place. Got a real nice set up. We can get your shit packed up tonight and we can head out tomorrow."

Daryl's head shot up, his eyes narrowing. "What the hell do you mean, get our shit packed?"

Buck looked around the small space. "I ain't havin' you livin' out here on your own. Not when I got that spread that your grandad left me. You ain't gotta take care of yourself no more. Ain't no way for a boy to live."

Daryl stared at his father. Leave here? He had never thought of leaving. Ever since him and Merle had moved into the place he had thought of it as home. It wasn't much but it had become home to him and his brother. And what about...

"Son, if you're worryin' about your girl then cut that shit out right now. I wouldn't make ya leave her behind. Your brother done told me that they ain't got no place to go."

Daryl released the breath he had been holding and met his brother's eyes. Merle gave him a nod. "We'll do whatever you think is best for you little brother. You ain't gotta do a damn thing you don't wanna do. It's your call." There was a challenge in Merle's voice that Daryl and Buck both heard right away. Buck tensed.

"That ain't the truth Merle. He's just barely seventeen and he's comin' with me. He's been takin' care of himself long enough."

Merle didn't look like he had any fear when he took a step towards their dad. Maybe Daryl wasn't the only one that harbored a little anger towards the man. "I'm the one that got him outta that goddamn house and away from that bitch. You ain't got no idea what kinda shit that boy suffered. He was beat half to death when I went back for him," Merle said in a low voice.

Buck looked from Merle to Daryl and then back to Merle. Daryl wanted to bolt from the house. He didn't want to think about his mom and the shit that happened before. He hadn't really thought about it at all since Carol and Andrea had moved in.

"What do you mean, when you went back for him? Where the fuck were you?" Buck asked angrily.

Merle was trying hard to keep a lid on his temper. "I wasn't around. Took off on my own. The three years I was gone her and any asshole she brought home used him as a goddamn punchin' bag. I saved him from that, I've kept his ass fed and warm, not you. If he ain't wantin' to leave then he ain't leavin'."

"You shouldn't have left him there to begin with," Buck growled.

"And you shouldn't have fucked up and landed in prison. If I woulda stayed then I woulda killed her. You think I don't regret not doin' just that every goddamn day? She broke him and me and him have to live with that. But I saved his ass, not you. I saved him and that girl outside fixed him. You ain't had nothin' to do with none of it."

Daryl watched as the drama unfolded before him. He didn't want Buck and Merle to fight. Merle had done right by him over the last few years but it wasn't like Buck had left them on purpose. He would have never done that.

Buck shook his head angrily. "We'll talk about this more in the mornin'. I want you boys with me. You ain't gotta make a go of it on your own no more," His eyes narrowed on Merle, "But no matter what you decide to do, I'm takin' him to Savannah with me. Just remember that I want ya both. I'll be back in the mornin'."

They watched Buck walk towards the door. Daryl was torn and Merle was furious. Without a backwards glance, Buck walked out.

Merle looked angry enough to spit as he glared at the closed door. "You ain't gotta do a goddamn thing you don't wanna do. Me, you and the girls," He ran a hand over his face, "Well, we can do just fine where we are if that's what you want. Don't let him make you think otherwise. All we need is each other, little brother. We'll manage no matter what."

Daryl gave him a slight nod and then disappeared to his room. He sat down heavily on the edge of the bed. He didn't know what he was suppose to do. He didn't think that Carol and Andrea would just up and leave Atlanta. To them him and Merle were just a couple of guys that took them in. But to him, the two girls had become just as much family as Merle was to him.

But he knew his dad. If Buck wanted him to come back to Savannah with him then he wouldn't have no choice but to go. With or without the girls. And there wasn't a damn thing Merle could do about it.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey! Thought I would update this before I went to bed. Hope you are all having a great weekend! Thank you all for reading! It's really appreciated! =) **

**Chapter Eleven**

Andrea pulled her out the door before she could even manage to say anything to anyone. She knew that it was coming. Her and Daryl could barely have a conversation without Andrea and Merle watching them. It was frustrating.

"You were making out with him!" Andrea said loudly when she finally stopped walking. They were in the back yard now, close to the wood pile.

"It just happened," Carol mumbled lamely. "It isn't like you've never kissed a guy before. You were all over Merle on the couch last night."

Andrea's eyes were wide and so was her smile. "But that's me! And what I saw was not just kissing. You two were..."

"Kissing," Carol deadpanned as she crossed her arms over her chest. Andrea looked like she was seconds from bouncing up and down with her excitement.

"You weren't just kissing! You were making out with Daryl Dixon. He was all over you! And you loved it!"

Carol groaned and then sat down on one of the logs. "It started out as kissing," she muttered.

"Was it good? It looked good!" Andrea sat down next to her.

Carol felt her face flush. How many times had she dreamed about kissing him? And this was a hundred times better than any dream she had had. The feel of his lips on hers and the way he had touched her. Just thinking about that had her heart doing double time. It had been amazing. She never thought anything could feel so good. "It was okay."

Andrea snorted and bumped her with her shoulder. "So, finally! Carol finds herself interested in the opposite sex."

"We're just friends, Andrea," Carol said quietly.

"I'm your friend and I've never caught myself between your legs with my tongue in your mouth. Are you going to have sex with him?"

Carol's head shot up, her eyes wide. The truth was, she would have. All he would have had to do was keep doing what he had been doing and she would have gladly done it. "Of course not! You know, you're way too excited about this. Shouldn't you be off daydreaming about his brother or something?"

Andrea sighed. "I would be but I'm too excited for you. This is a big deal, Carol! And if he is anything like his brother then it's going to be incredible."

Carol groaned and stood up. "Are we done now? You know everything that happened. We kissed. That's it. Can we go inside now. We're being rude."

Andrea huffed and let Carol pull her up from the log. "Fine. But if anything else happens I want details. I always give you details."

"I never want the details," Carol said as they made their way around the side of the house.

As soon as they made it to the front door it opened up and Merle and Daryl's father stepped out. He paused and offered them a small smile. "You ladies have a nice evenin' now," He said as he walked away.

They watched the man climb onto a mean looking motorcycle and rev the engine loudly. He waved once and then the headlight cut across them as he backed it up. Carol didn't waste anymore time. She hurried into the house, Andrea right on her heels.

Daryl was no where to be seen but the look on Merle's face when he looked up told her instantly that something was very wrong.

Andrea sat down next to him. "You okay?" She asked quietly, the look on her face was full of genuine concern and Carol couldn't help but wonder just how close Andrea and Merle really were. She almost felt guilty for not asking Andrea about their strange relationship.

Merle looked right at Carol and then shook his head. His face was grim. "Looks like the party's over girls. We're probably gonna be headin' out to Savannah come mornin'. The old man wants my brother with him and Daryl won't fight him over it. I'm gonna be wherever he's at."

Carol felt her chest grow tight and a lump formed in her throat. She stormed off towards Daryl's bedroom, blinking away traitorous tears. She didn't cry. She never allowed herself to do that. Even at their lowest she had faced it all with her chin held high. She slipped into the room without knocking. She never knocked anymore.

Daryl was rifling through a dresser drawer, not even turning to look at her but she knew he had heard her come into the room. She could tell by the way his broad shoulders tensed. He shoved some clothes from the drawer into a duffel bag that was sitting at his feet. It was then that she realized that it was true. They were leaving. Not just leaving. Moving all the way to Savannah. She wanted to say something but the words were stuck behind that painful lump that was making it hard to swallow. What would her and Andrea do without the Dixon brother's around? Ever since they had met them she hadn't even truly contemplated being away from them.

Once the bag was full he sighed and finally stood up. When he turned around she couldn't gauge his mood because his eyes stayed trained on the floor. He had done that a lot in the first few weeks they had been there but she wasn't used to it now.

When he finally looked at her his eyes went wide and he took a step towards her. "What the hell, Carol," he muttered in a rough voice.

She didn't know what he meant until he stopped right in front of her and used the rough pad of his thumb to swipe across her cheekbone. It came away wet and worried blue eyes met hers. She looked away, turning her head, suddenly ashamed that she was having a weak moment right there in front of him. He was the last person in the world that she wanted to see her cry. "I got something in my eye," she lied but her voice chose that moment to crack.

"Merle told ya we're leavin' in the mornin'?" He asked gruffly, his eyes slipping away from hers.

She nodded and felt another tear escape her. She didn't even care anymore. So what if he saw her cry tonight? It wasn't like she was likely to see him again after tonight anyway. It didn't much matter anymore. She didn't understand until that moment how much he had grown to mean to her. She relied on his rare smiles and the way he seemed to be more at ease with her than with anyone else that came around. She would miss how he would take her with him in the mornings on a hunt even though he knew that she'd scare off every animal in sight.

She knew how jumpy he was so she didn't know what made her do it but before she even gave it a second thought she threw herself at him. Her arms wrapped around his neck tightly and she buried her face in his shoulder. He instantly froze up, like she knew he would but right before she could pull away and apologize she felt his arms go around her, pulling her closer and holding her there tightly.

He relaxed against her and she suddenly couldn't remember the last time she had felt so safe. Before her parents died. Almost ten years ago. "I'm gonna miss you," she muttered into his shirt that was quickly growing damp.

He sighed into her hair and his arms tightened around her. "Guess that means you ain't interested in comin' along, huh? I didn't figure you would be."

She opened her eyes and pulled back enough so she could look at him. She didn't dare let his words give her hope, just in case she had heard him wrong. "What?"

He looked down at her and shrugged, "Buck said all four of us could go. I didn't think you'd want to since..."

"We can go too? Andrea and me?" She couldn't hide the shock in her voice.

He nodded. "Thought Merle would have told ya that part."

She shook her head.

He searched her eyes for a few long moments while she let this new knowledge sink in. "So, will you go too?" He asked. It was the way he phrased the question that had her stomach fluttering madly. He didn't ask if she wanted to go. It was almost like he was pleading with her to go.

She nodded and then stepped away. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll go to Savannah with you."

His eyes widened. "No shit?"

She grinned and then wiped the stupid tears off her face. "No shit. Can I borrow a shirt?"

He frowned and then snatched the first shirt that was on top of the clothes in the opened duffel bag. "What for?"

"I don't have anything to sleep in. If your dad is coming early then we have to get to sleep. Turn around." She ordered quickly and he did what she said.

"You're goin' to bed in here?" He choked. He turned around, facing the wall.

"I already told you that, Daryl, remember?" She said as she quickly unbuttoned her own shirt and stripped it off, tossing it in the corner of his room before she pulled his shirt over her head.

"But where the hell am I gonna sleep? I ain't sleepin' out there while them two are doin' god knows what right there on the couch."

"You can sleep with me. We're both adults. It's no big deal," she said as she shimmied out of her pajama bottoms. His shirt stopped mid thigh and that was longer than most nightgowns now days anyway. She hated sleeping in them. They made her itch. She crawled into his bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. Her teeth were chattering already since the door to the room had been closed and none of the heat from the fireplace had been able to seep in. "Okay, I'm decent."

He turned around, eyes a little wide as he looked over at her. When his gaze fell onto her pants in the middle of the floor they widened further.

"Well?"

He looked at her, "Well what?"

"Do you sleep in all those clothes?" She asked lightly, holding back a laugh at the panicked look on his face.

He looked down at his fully clothed body and then back at her before nodding.

"Seriously?" She raised one eyebrow at him.

He nodded again.

"You don't even take your shirt off?" She was almost disappointed. She already told herself she wouldn't kiss him again. Not while she was in his bed wearing nothing but his t-shirt and a pair of panties.

He shook his head, his face flushing.

She rolled over onto her side and propped her head up on her hand. "Why?" She was only trying to pick on him but the look that came over his face had her wishing that she had just kept her mouth shut. He really did look like he was about to bolt out of the room. She sat up then, unable to hide the regret on her face. "Daryl, I was just messing around. You don't have too..."

"Scars," he muttered, watching her eyes.

She felt almost sick to her stomach that she had caused that haunted look in his eyes. She already knew that. She had had a glimpse of them before but never wanted to ask him about them. Of course that was why he was about to panic. She felt horrible now. She didn't want him to think that he had to hide anything from her. She pulled the blanket back and crawled back out of bed, not minding the way his eyes raked over her body before he swallowed hard. She walked towards him and didn't stop until she was standing only inches away.

"Do you trust me?" She asked in a soft voice.

He nodded slowly, eyes not leaving hers.

"I'm not one to judge another person, Daryl. If you want too you can take off your shirt. It's just me." She whispered and then tension in the room seemed to grow thick.

His nostrils flared and then so subtly she almost missed it, he shook his head.

She took his hand then and turned around, leading him to the bed. He followed behind her willingly and didn't make a sound as he crawled over her, fully clothed. He was on his back when she reached over and turned the lamp off. She settled in with her back to him, feeling miserable for causing him any kind of pain. He stayed perfectly still for a long time so she reached behind her until she found his hand and laced his fingers through hers, tugging lightly until he rolled over.

She placed his hand on her hip and then gave his fingers a squeeze. "You won't have a choice but to show me someday, Daryl," she said as his breath ghosted through her hair.

"How ya figure?" He whispered as the tips of his fingers flexed into her hip lightly.

She scooted back until she fit herself perfectly into the groove of his body, his chest a solid wall behind her back. "Because someday, I'm gonna get you out your clothes." She said it to make him laugh and it actually worked because she heard a surprised chuckle escape him as he relaxed against her. What she hadn't been prepared for was the rush of heat that seemed to flood her lower body at the brave words she muttered.

"Good luck with that," he whispered into her hair.


	12. Chapter 12

**Here is another chapter for you. I hope you like this one. Several of you wanted to see certain things when it came to this chapter and I tweaked it a bit but it was already written and I didn't want to have to scrap it. I hope it's a decent read regardless. Thank you all for reading! =)**

**Chapter Twelve**

Daryl wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not. He was suspended in that strange place between sleep and reality. He was warmer than he usually was in the room. He was used to waking up cold but that wasn't the case. He smelled a subtle hint of vanilla and he smiled sleepily. He knew that smell anywhere but his foggy mind couldn't figure out why it would be so strong here in his bed.

He realized then that it was most likely another dream. When he moved his arm sure enough he felt her solid form pressed into him. Her leg draped over his waist and her arm flung over his chest. He could hear her breathing, deep and even and feel the warmth hit his neck. This was strange because usually she was awake in these dreams. Awake and very much in control. Oh, and naked.

When he touched her leg he was happy to find that his fingers met the warm skin of her thigh instead of the course fabric of her jeans. Other things started registering to him then. Like how some of her hair was draped over his face. He frowned, batting it away before it could get in his mouth. This was weird.

There was something else weird about this dream. Was that drool on the color of his shirt? Her head was tucked into his neck. He found all sorts of things sexy about her but her drooling on him wasn't really one of them. His hand stilled on her thigh. He remembered everything then. He wasn't dreaming. Not this time. She had slept in his bed for fear that she would be awoken by Andrea and his brother. She really was drooling on his shirt and he almost laughed. Almost. He didn't want to do anything to wake her up though. This strange peaceful moment had him more relaxed than he had been in a long time. Longer than he could remember.

Drool or not, she was still draped across him, and he was still tracing patterns into her bare leg. The smart thing would have been to move her away a little so he wouldn't wake her and he also wouldn't have to lay there awake for the rest of the night. But he didn't want too. Everyone in his life, from the people closest to him to perfect strangers, were always held at arms length. But not her. And it felt good to be this close to someone. It felt good to be comfortable enough with someone to accept something like a simple hug.

He crooked the arm she was laying on until he could cup the back of her head, letting his fingers run lazily through the softness of her hair. Hair that she had a hard time keeping tame. How strange it was, this closeness. But it felt very right. He wasn't sure what it all meant and he didn't want to stew on it much. He just wanted to enjoy it. He'd found very little happiness in his life up until this point and he wanted to take a few minutes, at least, to simply enjoy it without feeling self conscious about it.

She muttered something softly into his neck and he strained his ears to understand what she was saying. She grew quiet though, and although he was sure that his name was one of the words that had escaped her the other words eluded him. After a long time his eyelids grew heavy once more and he found himself being lulled back to sleep by the sound of her deep and even breathing.

~H~

Merle was in the process of closing the last of the boxes he had hastily packed. There were only two and he stared at them dejectedly. The cabin had came furnished and they had very little in the way of personal possessions.

He wasn't used to being up before his brother but he wasn't about to wake the boy now. Carol had never came out of that bedroom so Merle had no idea what had happened between the two of them last night. He'd nearly pissed himself when he had walked in and saw them there on the bed. Up until a month ago he had worried constantly about Daryl and the way he refused to let anyone in. Even Merle himself had never been able to crack through that boys shell. But all of that seemed to change the very day that he had brought Carol into their home.

He had thawed out almost instantly. Merle had been sure that Daryl would have demanded that the girls leave as soon as Carol was able, if not before that, but that didn't happen. And since then Merle watched as his brother changed right before his eyes. He talked more. He smiled more. He laughed. He rarely left the house unless Carol tagged along with him. He wasn't living inside his own head anymore. Merle thought that the only thing that would ever bring his brother out was their dad showing up. He'd been dead wrong.

Merle had been terrified when Buck had told them of his plans to move them to Savannah with him. He wouldn't see Daryl hurt again. He still wasn't sure where Daryl's head was when it came to moving that far away but he did know that if Carol and Andrea chose not to go with them then it would crush the kid. By the look on Carol's face last night it would crush her as well so he wasn't going to worry until he knew Carol's decision.

Andrea had told him all about Carol. How afraid she was of being touched by a man. How she avoided getting close to people. Just like Daryl. Those two needed each other. It seemed like they healed one another the way no one else ever could. Merle had never witnessed something like that before.

"Are you sure that your dad will be okay with us going? If that's what Carol wants to do?" Andrea asked as she heaved her own bag up onto the kitchen table next to the boxes.

Merle chuckled. "If he didn't mean it then he wouldn't have brought it up. He don't fuck around. He gives it to ya straight. If he wasn't alright with y'all comin' then he'd have said so. He's got a lot to make up for when it comes to us and he knows it."

"And you don't mind?" She asked hesitantly.

He met her eyes then, wondering for the millionth time what the hell he was doing messing around with this girl. "Nah. Why the fuck would I mind?"

She just shrugged and looked away. He didn't press the issue. The last thing he wanted to do was get into some discussion about what had happened between them. Fuck, he didn't know what it meant. She wasn't his type. His type was early thirties, easy, and uninterested in commitment. Why he had allowed the girl to climb up on that couch with him the other night was beyond him. He had messed around with her before that but always put the breaks on before anything really got started. And that wasn't even the worst part.

The worst part had been that damn party last night, before Buck showed up. Merle had been expecting her to get jealous of the other women that were there. But she hadn't. She had acted completely oblivious of the way they treated him. And then, to his dismay, she had started chatting up a few of his buddies. He had watched, narrow eyed and pissed off as she laughed at their dumb ass jokes and allowed them to bring her drinks. He didn't understand why he had gotten so pissed but he had. He'd been about to tell the assholes to keep their damn distance from her when Buck had walked in and the party had hastily broken up. And that pissed Merle off even more. He didn't want to give a rats ass about her talking to other men but he did. It was bullshit.

The sound of the door opening tugged him from his reverie. Buck walked in, shaking snow from his hair. He noticed Andrea first, since she was standing right by the door, and gave her a brief nod. When his eyes met Merle's the corner of his mouth turned up. "I see your getting packed. I was ready to have to fight ya over this."

Merle shook his head. Seeing Buck filled him with mixed emotions. On one hand, he was their dad and he had been a damn good one, holding family above everything else. On the other hand, he had done something stupid and got locked away, resulting in Daryl being tortured by the woman that Buck deemed fit to breed with. And now he was determined to take the boy away, regardless of whether or not Daryl wanted to go with him. "Wouldn't be no fight, old man. If the boy didn't wanna go with ya then I'd have shot your ass. I already know you fight dirty."

Andrea's eyes widened fearfully as she looked at Merle sharply but she relaxed when Buck let loose with a loud laugh.

"That's my boy," he said happily as he walked over and clapped Merle on the back. Merle just shrugged at Andrea's perplexed look. She had a lot to learn if she was going to be spending more time with the three of them. The Dixon's were known to have a strange sense of humor, even when Merle and Daryl had been boys. "Where's your brother?"

Merle looked towards the closed bedroom door just as it opened up and Daryl walked out, wearing the same thing he had been wearing last night when he had disappeared to his room after the first few people had shown up.

He squinted at them and ran a hand through his hair. "Ain't you ever heard of keepin' it down? Last thing I wanna wake up too is you out here brayin' like a jackass," he grumbled as he shuffled to the bathroom.

Buck grinned. "Get your ass in gear, baby boy! You shoulda been up long before now."

Daryl flipped him off right before he closed the bathroom door. Carol slipped out after Daryl and she, too, squinted at them. Just like the night before she waved and then smiled.

"You don't say much, do ya little girl?" Buck asked as he studied her.

Carol glanced at Merle nervously and he gave her a quick nod, knowing how she was when it came to the opposite sex. He didn't want her to be scared of Buck even though Buck was one scary looking mother fucker. "What's the plan, darlin'?" Merle asked nervously. He was almost sure she would go with them but he had misread people in the past. There was a chance she wouldn't want to go. Andrea had already said she would do what Carol wanted to do.

Carol looked at Andrea then and nodded. "Looks like we're moving to Savannah, as long as that's what you want too," she said.

Andrea grinned, Merle hid a smile and Buck groaned and rubbed the back of his neck absently. "The first damn thing I'm doin' once we get there is get the both of you put on the damn pill," he grumbled. "Last damn thing I need is youngins runnin' wild all over the place cause I wasn't around to teach my boys how to keep their dicks in their pants."

Jesus Christ, dad. Shut up!" Daryl groaned. He chose the perfect time to come out of the bathroom. He gave Buck a stern look before storming off towards his room. "The hell is wrong with you?"

Carol, red faced and flustered, followed him to his room while Merle tried without success to hold in a laugh.


	13. Chapter 13

**Here is another chapter for you! I hope you enjoy it. I'm a little bit stuck on my other story, for any of you reading it. I'm sorry there hasn't been an update but i promise I'll remedy that within the next few days! Hope everyone has a safe weekend! Thanks for reading! =)**

**Chapter Thirteen**

It was going to take them damn near five hours to get from the cabin to Buck's place in Savannah. Both girls had shied away from the idea of riding with Buck on the bike. It had warmed up to a balmy fifty degrees out, which was warm compared to how cold it had been, so Buck was itching to get on the road. Now, with all of their worldly possessions on the back of the truck, it was time to head out. Between the four of them all of their belongings had fit into two small boxes and three bags. It was a sad lot, indeed.

Andrea hopped in and scooted over until she was right next to Merle, who insisted on driving. Daryl looked at the space left in the truck after Andrea and Merle was inside and then swallowed hard. "There's only room for one more," he said gruffly.

"Cause ginger gets to ride on your lap, little brother," Merle laughed. "That's at least four and a half hours of complete access to Carol's ass. There's some Kleenex in the glove box if ya need it," he winked.

Daryl grumbled a string of curse words under his breath as he climbed in next to Andrea and then held out his hand to a red faced Carol. She took his hand and sure enough there was no way around it. Her ass was definitely going to be in constant contact with his crotch. Not to mention he had no idea what the hell he was suppose to do with his hands. If he kept them to his sides then he was touching Andrea and he wanted nothing to do with that.

Carol shifted and he clenched his jaw. She was really going to have to stop doing that.

"Sorry," she whispered as she leaned into his chest.

He decided that at this point it really didn't matter what he did with his hands so he placed them on her hips and gripped them firmly, putting his lips next to her ear. "You're really gonna have to try to be still," he barely breathed the words but she heard him. She nodded and then he felt her body relax. He was the furthest thing from relaxed as he could get.

Merle and Andrea were talking about something else, not paying any attention to the two of them, so he didn't protest when she moved his hands with her own until his arms were wrapped around her waist. At least now he didn't have to worry about where he was going to put them.

A part of him was excited at the prospect of starting over. He remembered visiting his grandpa as a boy but he really didn't remember much about it other than it was a decent chunk of wooded land. He didn't remember the house or the man, really. He just remembered that he had been enamored with the outdoors. He felt almost exhilarated at the prospect of having his dad back and being able to worry less about survival and more about other things. Things like what was actually going on between him and the girl in his lap.

Another part of him was scared to death. He wasn't stupid enough to ever get his hopes up about things. Things usually took a turn for the worst and he couldn't help but be more than a little afraid that something bad would come of this.

Merle and Andrea finally grew quiet as the miles passed them by and eventually Merle turned the radio on. Down on the Corner by Creedence Clearwater Revival filled the cab of the truck and he couldn't help but smile to himself, ignoring those oppressing feelings and losing himself in the prospect of a new life. A better life. He had his brother and now his dad and it would be a fresh start for all of them, not to mention that he was lucky enough to share it with Carol and Andrea. He felt hope shed light in the dark corners that haunted his thoughts. Regardless of what happened, this would be a real turning point for him. A brighter future lay ahead.

~H~

Carol stared wide eyed out the window as the scenery flew past them. It was warmer here. It was a beautiful city, even though Merle informed them that they would be living further out. They wouldn't really be living inside the city limits but that was okay. Buck talked a little about the house when they had stopped for lunch. His father had passed away quite a few years ago so the house had needed a little work when he moved in but he assured them that it was in good condition now.

He said there were technically three bedrooms but that his dad had built another room some time after he had purchased the property that they could use as another bedroom. She would have to share the larger room with Andrea but that was fine. She still didn't feel very comfortable around the large man but Daryl was with her and so was Merle and Andrea so she would be fine.

They had been traveling along a lonely back road when suddenly Buck turned off onto a dirt drive that Carol would have missed altogether. She shifted excitedly in her seat until she realized, belatedly, that her seat was Daryl's lap. She turned her head, giving him an apologetic smile when his fingers dug into her waist. She couldn't help it though. The prospect of a real home was now overwhelming her. It hadn't been very long ago at all that her and Andrea had been sleeping in an abandoned car and eating out of garbage cans. This was almost to much for her.

When the house came into view her eyes grew wide and she glanced at Andrea. Andrea was staring at the place herself and if Carol didn't know any better she would have sworn that Andrea had tears in her eyes. The place wasn't really anything special. Definitely not something that you would picture Buck Dixon living in, but it was one of the most beautiful things Carol had ever seen.

It wasn't very big. Just a simple one story red brick structure. But it had a deep front porch and white washed shutters on the windows. Hedges lined the walkway and huge trees covered in draping moss dotted the property.

It was modest by most people's standards but it was amazing to Carol and she was sure that Andrea felt the same. They had both been beyond content sleeping on the floor of that shack in the woods, and a part of her would always love that place, but it hadn't really been a home. Not like this could be. A real home with people that she cared about and who cared about her.

"You alright?" Daryl asked quietly.

She realized then that Merle and Andrea had already gotten out and was standing in front of the truck while they talked to Buck. She turned in his lap and grinned. "Daryl this is amazing!"

He looked past her, out the window and then nodded. "I guess it is," he said as the corner of his mouth turned up.

"I can't believe we're really gonna live here," she turned to look at the house again.

"Me neither," he muttered, "And I'm awful fuckin' happy you're happy, but you gotta get the hell off'a me." He opened the door and she scrambled off of him but surprisingly waited until he got out of the truck before she ventured any closer to the house where Merle, Buck and Andrea had already disappeared.

She just kept looking at the house, even when he made it to her side. "I always thought, back after my parents died, that I'd get adopted and live in a house like this with a new family," she said quietly. She didn't know where all this stupid emotion was coming from but she couldn't shut it off.

He didn't say anything for a few long seconds but he finally moved so their arms were barely touching. "I'd be lyin' if I said that I ain't glad you didn't get adopted."

She looked up at him curiously and then smiled at the guilty expression on his face. "I think I feel the same way."

He looked down at her then. "You think, huh?" He grinned back at her.

She nodded.

Once they made it inside she studied every single inch of the house. It wasn't overly decorated. It was obvious that it was a home that had been inhabited by mostly men. Buck told her and Andrea that his mom had died when he was young and his dad had never remarried. He had two brothers and a sister but none of them associated with him. He was apparently the black sheep of the family, but he was loved by his father and grandfather regardless.

It was clean and homey and she loved it. She could tell that Andrea felt the same way. It was kind of stupid to have such a strong reaction to a house. But it was more than that to them and it was hard for Carol to explain when Buck kept looking at her and Andrea curiously. After a little while she found herself alone with him in the kitchen.

"How long was you girls out there?" He asked, and Carol instantly knew he was talking about how long they had been on the streets.

"Two years on the streets," she said absently as she ran her hand over the kitchen counter, "I was in foster care for seven years before that."

Buck shook his head sadly as he studied her. "And Andrea was twelve when she was put into the system?" He asked. "How the fuck did y'all make it out there? Just a couple of girls?"

Carol shrugged. "Luck, I guess. And we both got pretty good at being pick pockets. That's how Andrea first met Merle."

He laughed that obnoxious laugh of his just as Daryl wondered into the kitchen, dropping one of the bags onto the kitchen table. "What's so funny?" Daryl asked suspiciously.

"Carol here was just tellin' me about how your brother met Blondie," Buck laughed.

Daryl ducked his head, trying to hide a grin. "Yeah, that pissed him off a bit."

Carol studied Buck for a few seconds as he looked Daryl over. His eyes grew sad. "Boy, we're gonna have to have a talk about what your mama did. I need to know..."

"You don't need to know shit," Daryl snapped as his head shot up. "Ain't none of that matters now. The only people draggin' that dog around is you and Merle."

Carol was surprised at the anger in his voice and his face was furious.

"I just think it'd be best if..." Buck said gently but he wasn't able to finish his sentence.

"Drop it, Buck. Alright? Merle knows all the gory details so if you're that damn curious about it then ask him." He picked the bag up and stormed out of the room.

Carol was about to go after him when Buck gripped her shoulder gently. She stopped and looked up, not scared of him really but not very comfortable with his hand on her like that. He glanced around to make sure no one else was within ear shot before he spoke.

"Merle told me about how he was before you came along. I ain't sayin' that you'd aim to hurt him none..." His voice broke off like he was having a hard time coming up with the right words. "Just be easy with him, alright."

Carol wasn't sure what he meant by that but she nodded anyway. If he was implying that she'd ever do anything to hurt him then he was an asshole.

She checked the house but didn't see him anywhere. She walked out the front door and found him sitting there on the front steps, his knees pulled up to his chest as he looked out towards Merle's truck. She didn't say a word. She just sat down next to him and kept her mouth shut. She had seen him like this a few times before but not this bad.

"Ya think you and Blondie's gonna be okay sharin' that back room?" He asked after the silence went on for a long time.

She laughed softly. "We shared a Buick. I think we'll manage."

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "I guess y'all can manage alright then."

The silence stretched on but it was much more comfortable now. He even leaned his shoulder into hers a little bit, like her proximity alone made him feel better. She was glad because she felt the same way.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Two weeks later...**

"Are you fuckin' high!" Daryl yelled. He was standing in the doorway to his bedroom, bleary eyed with his hair sticking up at odd angles. "You done lost your goddamn mind. I ain't goin'!" Buck really had lost his mind. School? Fucking school? No way in hell was Daryl going.

Buck put his hands on his hips. "Carol ain't givin' me any shit about it, why the hell do you have too?"

Daryl looked past Buck, further down the hallway just as Carol slipped out of the bathroom, her hair wrapped up in a towel with another towel wrapped around her securely. Any other time he would have gawked at her. He would have let his mind spin out all kinds of fantasies about how quick he could get her out of that towel. But this morning he was pissed. She was suppose to have his back. She was suppose to fight this with him. Instead she was going along with whatever Buck said.

"Carol's a goddamn goody good, that's why!" He called down the hall, eyeing her angrily.

She stopped and looked up and then, to his surprise, she flipped him off and then disappeared into her own room. He growled and slammed his bedroom door in Buck's face. Buck could kiss his ass. He'd be damned if he was going to go to school. He hadn't been in two years and he cringed at the thought of going now. He would most likely be so damn behind they would kick him out an hour after he got there.

His bedroom door opened up and Buck stood there, looking more exasperated than he ever had before. "Boy, get your ass dressed. You can walk outta this house and get in the damn truck like a man or I can throw your goddamn ass over my shoulder and haul you in there that way. You choose."

"Why don't Andrea have to go?" He asked, angrily.

Buck was about to answer but Carol pushed past him and walked right into his room. He pointed back towards the doorway. "Out," he growled. "You're a traitor."

She looked at him with wide innocent eyes. The same look she had been using on Buck for the last week. "It won't be so bad. Buck showed me our schedules and he made sure that we have the same classes."

He studied her for a second before finally growling loudly and throwing open his dresser drawer. At least he had decent clothes now. Buck had made sure that the four of them had everything they needed. Little had he known at the time that they were actually shopping for school clothes.

"And Andrea don't have to go cause she's older," Buck said as Daryl yanked a pair of jeans out.

Daryl snorted loudly. "She ain't gotta go cause she's with Merle. And she ain't older either. She's got an I.D. that says she is. That ain't the damn same."

Buck sighed. "She's got a job, son."

"I'll get a damn job if it'll keep me from havin' to do this," he grumbled.

Buck shook his head and walked out, shutting the door behind him and leaving him and Carol alone.

"I don't know why you're trying to fight him. He's hell bent on making us go. We might as well go."

He glared at her. "Maybe if you put up more of a fight then he woulda caved."

She smiled and then sat down on his bed, leaning back on her elbows. "I told him we would go. I never said anything about staying there." She bit her lip, her blue eyes shining.

He looked up sharply. "So what, he's gonna drop us off and then we just cut?" That didn't sound too bad at all. His faith in her was officially restored.

She shrugged. "He said we had to go to school. He didn't say anything about staying."

Sometimes he thought that maybe he was in love with this girl. "Get out. I'll go just so Buck will shut his mouth. Then we ditch."

She left his room with a grin and he found himself laughing as she shut the door. Their relationship, or whatever it was, was a weird one. She had her own room because a few days after they had all moved into the house Andrea had moved all of her things into Merle's room. He had no idea what the hell was going on with Andrea and his brother and he didn't want to know.

After everyone else was in bed Carol made her way to his room every night. He hadn't slept alone since that night she had crawled into his bed in Atlanta. True to his word, Buck had taken them both into the city and got them both put on birth control pills. He doubted that Carol took hers. She slept with him every night but sleep was all that ever happened. What had happened between them in his room two weeks ago was just a fond memory. They hadn't even kissed since then.

He wasn't sure what that meant and he didn't question it. Hell, for all he knew she was waiting on him to make a move but he wasn't ballsy enough for anything like that. She could have just decided that she wasn't into him like that. It was a depressing thought but as long as she was still around he could live with it.

He did wish, sometimes, that she would just stay in her own room. The temptation was killing him. Every night she was there, pressed right up against him or draped all over him while she slept and she never wore more than a t-shirt, usually one of his own, and panties. It was driving him completely mad at night.

He finished getting ready in a hurry, now that he knew that he didn't have to stay there all damn day he was kind of eager to get away. Buck had gotten Andrea a job at a tavern that him and his biker buddies frequented. Everyone knew that she was Merle Dixon's girl so she never got any trouble from anyone. Merle was working with Buck at the bike shop. That meant that him and Carol were the only two not really doing anything at all. This meant that Buck decided that they needed to be in school. It was total bullshit.

Buck was leaning against the counter with a cup of coffee in his hand when Daryl finally came in for a cup of his own. It looked like Buck was bracing himself for another fit but Daryl just walked right past him and fixed himself his own cup.

"You look like you're in a better mood," Buck noted as he studied him out of the corner of his eye.

"What the fuck good would it do me to bitch about it anymore? You still ain't gonna listen to reason."

Buck chuckled. "You know, I expected to always get shit from your brother. That's just Merle. But I thought you were suppose to be the sweet one?"

Carol came in then, handing Daryl a backpack and taking the cup of coffee he offered her. "He is the sweet one, Buck. You just don't get to see it like I do." She winked.

Buck groaned and decided to leave then. "You best be takin' them goddamn pills girl. Don't think I don't know where you end up every night," he grumbled. "I'll see y'all tonight."

"Yes sir!" Carol called and then waited until she heard the front door close. She turned to Daryl then and grabbed his hand, "So we get to take the truck?" She asked excitedly.

He fished the keys out of his pocket and showed them to her. "Merle's off today and Andrea ain't gotta go in until tonight."

"Where are you taking me today then?" She asked with a grin. "I thought we would be stuck walking around. This is even better."

"And here I thought you were turnin' your back on the dark side," he shook his head solemnly.

She surprised him when she placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed him on the jaw. "Never," she grinned.

And here he thought that today was going to be miserable. He should have known better.

~H~

"Excuse me sir, what exactly is a flight risk?" Carol asked politely as her and Daryl sat in front of the desk.

The principal leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Your guardian called right before you got here and informed me that you both would most likely try to ditch school today," He leaned forward and eyed them both. "So that means we'll be keepin' a close eye on you both."

Carol felt Daryl stiffen and silently hoped he wouldn't go completely off. This whole experience was surreal. They weren't cut out for this world but Buck didn't understand that. They had lived on the streets and fought for their lives. They didn't have curfews or bedtimes or stability. They didn't follow rules that weren't basic rules of survival.

And now?

Now they were about to be late for their first class. He handed them both papers with their locker combinations on it and dismissed them. She was dreading Daryl's anger. She knew he was going to be enraged. She couldn't believe Buck had done this to them. He was lenient. He didn't say anything about them all sharing beds and he didn't force them to do things they didn't want to do.

They made their way down the hall, keeping close together as streams of teenagers filed back and forth around them. Once they reached the locker that was designated for Daryl she was finding it hard to breath.

He shoved his bag into the small space and then took her own from her, when he slammed the locker shut his angry eyes finally landed on her. Her heart started pounding too fast and she braced herself against the cool metal of the locker next to her. His eyes widened and he glanced around them before turning her so her back was against the lockers. Her knees felt week.

"Just breath through it," he said in a low voice, dipping his head so he could stare her right in the eye.

She kept her gaze locked on his and concentrated on taking deep and even breaths.

"Ain't no need to freak out, alright?" He said, his voice soothing. "I gotcha."

She nodded and then grabbed his hand. She didn't know why she had panicked like that. She was suppose to be the one reassuring him that they were going to be alright. Instead she was standing there gasping for breath like an idiot. She focused on the blue of his eyes and warmth of his hand in hers and reminded herself that if she needed him too, he would storm right out the front doors and take her back home.

"You okay?" He asked once she could feel air in her lungs again and her heart didn't feel like it was going to explode from her chest. He pushed a strand of hair away from her face.

She nodded, flushing in embarrassment. They were strong. She was strong. They would get through this. He motioned towards their first class and took her hand in his. She let him take the lead and ignored the curious glances that the other kids sent their way.

They seemed to make it through most of the day okay and after a while they finally got a reprieve once it was lunch time. "I think I would smoke some of Merle's marijuana if it would help me get through this day," Carol said as she took a seat next to him.

He couldn't help but smile at that. "Stop callin' it _marijuana_. You sound like a fuckin' cop or somethin'."

She picked up an apple and bit into it angrily. She watched as his eyes strayed down and then he swiped his thumb across her bottom lip and then stuck it in his mouth, sucking off the excess juice from the apple.

"It actually ain't so bad. Most of this shit is pretty easy," he said as he bit into is sandwich.

She had been struggling through the whole day. Buck had done what he could to get them in the same classes so they would at least have each other. And it really did help. But she had needed to go to the bathroom during their fourth period math class and she had forgotten to ask permission to get out of her seat and go. The teacher had made a huge deal about it and embarrassed her. She had been so worried about Daryl but it was her. She was the one having the most trouble. But it was nearly over. All they had left was PE. That couldn't be that bad. "I can't believe that Buck did this to us," she grumbled around a mouth full of fruit.

He shrugged. "Least it's Friday. We have the weekend to recuperate."

She was about to say something when she heard someone set their tray down across from them. They both looked up. Carol scowled. It was a very Daryl thing to do but she couldn't help it. The guy that had taken a seat across from them was staring right at her. By the look of his Lettermans jacket he was a football player or something and the way he smiled at her had her skin crawling.

She scooted a little closer to Daryl, who was openly glaring at the boy across from them.

"So this is your first day. Are you brother and sister or something?" The boy asked as he started eating. It was obvious that he thought he was a pretty important person around the school. Maybe he was. But to a couple of kids like Carol and Daryl, he wasn't much of anything.

"No," she said curtly. "We aren't related."

The boy across from her nodded and then studied her for longer than she was comfortable with but he really didn't say anything else. Eventually more of his own people showed up, and Carol abruptly picked up her tray and stood up. "You wanna move over to that other table?" She asked Daryl quickly.

She saw Daryl stiffen as a few of those other guys looked over at him and grinned. "She's a feisty one, huh?" It was the guy that had taken a seat across from them first that spoke.

She touched his shoulder and motioned to move to the empty table behind them.

"I bet she's pretty wild in the sack," one of them said to the first guy. "Definitely wouldn't mind takin' her for a ride."

Carol saw it then. She never really thought that he resembled his father but in that moment he looked more like him than Merle ever could. She barely saw him move but suddenly his lunch tray was smashed into the first boys face and the boy that had made the comment was getting his face smashed into the table. Daryl took a step back, two of the five boys across from them were already bleeding and the other three didn't look as though they were willing to risk Daryl's wrath.

A few teachers pounced then, before Daryl could cause any more damage. Carol followed as they hauled him off to the office. They tried to make her go back to the lunch room but she refused.

"Call his dad. He's my guardian too. If he leaves then so do I," She said firmly, leaving no room for argument.

The next thing she knew they were both, once again, sitting in front of the principal. He was mostly just talking to Daryl, who didn't have a whole lot to say about what had happened. Three and a half more months of this just might prove to be too much for the two of them. Living on the streets was one thing. Dealing with normal high school life was probably going to prove to be too much for them both.


	15. Chapter 15

**A few of you asked for a quick update and when it's possible, I am a total people pleaser so here you go! Thank you all for the love and for reading! **

**Chapter Fifteen**

Daryl felt completely calm now. He had felt completely calm from the start. The school had called Buck and it had been brutal sitting there while he tried talking the principal into not suspending him. When Buck had gotten the whole story, however, he had actually tried to back Daryl. No amount of arguing on Buck's part had done any good. Daryl was suspended.

"Your dad is gonna end up hating me, you should have ignored those guys," Carol sighed as she sat down heavily on the other end of the couch. Buck had ordered them to go home and he went back to work.

Daryl scoffed. "That's bullshit. He ain't blamin' anybody but me."

"You still shouldn't have done that."

He shouldn't have been surprised that she felt that way but he was. She hadn't wanted to be there any more than he had. As a matter of fact he had been dealing with it much better than she had by the end of the day. "I couldn't just let those guys say shit like that."

She cut him a dirty look. "Was that your plan all day? Wait for someone to say something to me so you could go all Dixon on them and get yourself suspended? You know he's gonna make me go back and you get to sit around here all day," she huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest.

He sighed and moved so he was lying on his back with his sock clad feet on her lap. If he had been smart he would have changed positions and put his head where his feet now lay but it was too late for that. She pushed his feet off of her legs angrily.

"I can't go if you aren't going to be there," she said miserably.

He actually started feeling bad. She really had a hard time. She had gone as far as actually having a panic attack. He wouldn't let Buck force her to go there alone. The worried look on her face had him frowning as he sat up quickly. "He ain't gonna make ya go without me," he said firmly.

She looked up at him, sad eyes causing his chest to ache a little. "And how are we going to stop him?"

He shrugged. "He can't make ya go. Just tell him no. The only damn reason I agreed to go was cause you did."

"He's a lot bigger than us. I wouldn't put it past him to actually carry me into the school like he threatened. That would earn me all sorts of cool points."

"We won't have to listen to his mouth tonight anyway," he said, trying to put her in a better mood.

She sighed. "But that means I won't be seeing Andrea or Merle either."

Last Friday Merle and Buck had stayed over at the tavern where Andrea worked until it closed. Tonight they were planning on doing it again. That meant that Daryl and Carol were on their own again and it seemed to bother her a whole lot more than it bothered him. "You miss Andrea a lot?" He asked, just to make conversation.

She shrugged. "We've been together for two years with no break. She's like my sister. Apparently she's like my older sister. I should have gotten one of those fake ID's so Buck would just let me get a job too."

He studied her morose face for a few minutes before he climbed off the couch. "You hungry?" He called over his shoulder.

She didn't answer him but he heard her soft footfalls behind him. "So, did you do it just so you could get in trouble?"

He frowned. He wasn't all too sure why he did it really. As soon as that asshole sat down across from them and started eyeballing her like that he had gotten pissed off. He supposed he was jealous but that was stupid because she didn't belong to him. She wasn't his girlfriend. She slept with him at night. She wasn't shy about making jokes towards him until his ears burned. She had even let him kiss her once. But that was it.

"That ain't why I did it," he grumbled. He was depressing himself by thinking about all the reasons he shouldn't be jealous of a couple of guys checking her out.

"Were you jealous of those guys?" She asked and he could hear the smile in her voice. He shut the refrigerator and turned around.

"Why would I be jealous of those guys?" He asked as he narrowed his eyes on her. "You ain't mine."

She blinked at him stupidly and then hauled herself up on the counter so her legs were swinging back and forth. "That isn't true," she mumbled as she looked down at her swinging feet.

He huffed and crossed the kitchen, getting more frustrated as he tried to figure out what the hell it was she meant by that. Without hesitation he walked right up to her and placed his hands on either side of her, giving her no choice but to look at him. "How ya figure?" He asked, unable to keep the curiosity or the annoyance out of his voice. She was confusing the hell out of him.

She shrugged and looked up at him from under her lashes in that way that always caused his insides to clench up. She shrugged lightly. "I don't know."

He blew out a frustrated breath. "You're confusin' as fuck, ya know that?"

She grinned, probably because she was evil, which pissed him off all over again. He didn't believe for a minute that she was intentionally messing with his head but the truth was, that was exactly what she was doing. The random touches, the comments, crawling in bed with him half naked every single night. It was getting to him. He didn't want it to. He wanted to be the type of guy that could take the crazy whims of girls in stride. Especially since it hadn't even been two months ago that he couldn't even speak to women at all.

All of these thoughts swirling around his head was too much. They were usually thoughts that he kept at bay but they were all at the forefront of his mind now.

She opened her mouth to say something but the words didn't make it out before his lips descended on hers. She made a surprised squeak and froze for a few seconds but then her arms went around his neck, pulling him closer. And just like that first time, back in his old bedroom, his mind nearly exploded. He had wanted to do this for a long time now but didn't want to make an ass of himself.

He gripped her hips and pulled her closer, once again taking the initiative to deepen the kiss just like he had the last time. Her response was instant and eager, her legs wrapping around his waist and pulling him even further into the cradle of her thighs. Her hands went to his shoulders, nails digging into his skin through the thin t-shirt he was wearing.

He remembered her telling him not to stop the last time this had happened. How far would things have gone if Buck hadn't shown up that night? His fingers made their way inside her shirt, making contact with the soft skin of her back and for just a second he flirted with the idea of stripping it off of her. To taste more than just her lips.

He trailed his lips down her jaw to the delicate skin just under her ear, scraping his teeth across the flesh there inhaling her scent deeply.

He was completely in the zone, the only thing running through his mind was her. The way she made him feel. How she restored almost everything his mom had taken from him. How he prayed that he made her feel half as good as she made him feel.

When his lips met hers again he felt the tips of her fingers slide under his shirt and glide over the muscles of his stomach on their upward journey, leaving fire in their wake.

The shrill ringing of the phone had them both freezing.

Every. Fucking. Time.

He wanted to ignore it. If they stopped now then how long would it be before they got to this point again?

"Daryl?" She pulled back. "That could be important," she breathed, her voice a few octaves higher than normal. "No one ever calls."

He shook his head and cursed as he moved away from her. She hopped down from the counter, breathing heavily. He turned around and was about to stalk out of the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" She asked before he could leave the room.

He rolled his eyes. "Shower," he grumbled without turning around.

"I thought you were hungry?" She called.

He growled low in his throat. "Goddamn starved."

He heard her answer the phone then. He was so tired of cold showers. Every damn morning he woke up with her all over him he had to take a cold shower. If she had any idea what she did to him then she didn't let on. She would ask every single morning where he was going in that sleepy voice of hers and every single morning he told her the same thing.

~H~

"Hello?" Carol asked into the phone, willing her heart to stop racing in her chest.

There was a pause on the other end of the line and then she heard a woman's voice. "Is this the Dixon residence?"

"Yes, ma'am," Carol answered as she twirled the cord around her finger.

"Can I speak to Buck Dixon, please?" The woman asked.

"He isn't here at the moment. Can I take a message for him?"

Whoever was on the other end paused again and Carol felt a sinking feeling in her stomach for some reason. "Yeah. Just tell him that I finally tracked him down and I need to talk to him about seeing my sons."

Carol froze, her hand tightening around the receiver so hard that she would have snapped it in half if she had had more strength. "I'll be sure to let him know," she said, her own tone no longer polite. She hung up before the woman could say anything else.

She looked towards the doorway that Daryl had disappeared through. Her mind was racing. She knew a lot more than he knew she did. Merle told Andrea things and then Andrea told her. She knew why he had been so skittish in the beginning. Almost painfully shy. She knew why he was covered in those scars. She knew what kind of shape he had been in when Merle had went back for him. And it had all been because of that woman. His own mother. And now she wanted to walk right back into his life?

Carol shook her head angrily as she yanked the refrigerator door open and pulled out a couple of steaks to broil. That woman wouldn't hurt him again. If Carol had to bury the bitch alive, she would. But keeping this from him seemed wrong. He wasn't that weak little boy anymore. He had his brother and his dad back. He had_ her_.

She needed to keep her hands busy. She went about the kitchen, throwing this and that together. By the time she pulled the steaks out of the oven she had used last nights boiled potatoes to make potato salad and was just adding butter to the green beans. She had been studying a cook book that she had found in one of the drawers and this was her first time putting her new found skill to use. It had calmed her down considerably.

When Daryl made his way back into the room she had just sat their plates down on the table and was filling two mason jars, which were the only glasses Buck used, with milk.

"Goddamn," he muttered as he sat down heavily in front of the plate she motioned him towards. "You went all fuckin' house wife on me."

"Why do your lips look blue?" She asked hurriedly as she sat down across from him.

If she didn't know any better she would have sworn he blushed but she was a bit distracted at the moment.

He dug in heartily and despite the stress she was feeling she couldn't help the self indulgent smile she felt pulling at her lips. He looked up at her in surprise, licking his fingers. "It's actually good," he said around a mouth full of food.

She grinned and then starting eating her own share. She was surprised at how good it actually was. She hadn't ever cooked anything before in her life. She would remind herself later to look up some more recipes in that book. "Not better than your rabbit," she smiled as he tore off more meat with his fingers while the knife and fork sat next to his plate, completely ignored.

They fell into a comfortable silence as they ate. She worried about how to bring up the subject of the phone call but as she had her hands shoved elbow deep in hot soapy water he made it easier for her.

"Who the hell called anyway?" he asked from behind her.

She stiffened and wasn't sure how exactly to word it but he caught on quickly to her tension.

"Carol?"

The worry in his voice had her turning, wiping her hands on the back of her jeans. She met his eyes and he stood up slowly. "Who was on the phone, Carol?"

She swallowed down the lump in her throat. She knew this would hurt him and she couldn't stand to be the one to cause him pain. "Your mom," she whispered.

The play of emotions that crossed his face made her heart ache for him. She saw fear first and then a sadness deeper than she had ever seen before. After that his face took on the tightness it had at school this afternoon. Anger. "And you're just now tellin' me this?" He asked, his eyes were cold when they met hers and she had to keep telling herself that it wasn't really her he was angry at.

"I didn't know how to tell you," she said quietly.

He opened his mouth like he was going to say something but he closed it quickly and shook his head. He walked out of the kitchen stiffly and she watched him go, one lone tear running down her cheek. She flinched when she heard a loud sound coming from the hallway and then his bedroom door slam shut. He hadn't known that she knew everything about what had happened to him but she had a feeling he knew it now.

She slipped down the hallway, towards her own room and glanced quickly at the hole in the wall that was about as big as Daryl's fist. She would give him time to calm down. She wondered briefly if she should call Buck but that would just make things worse. She would give him a little while to collect himself and then she was going to him. He didn't need to be alone in his pain.


	16. Chapter 16

**I really hope you guys like this chapter. It's longer and maybe it will soothe some of your worries that I left you with in the other chapter. Thanks for reading! It may take me a few days to update this one again but I will get back to it as quick as I can. This weekend may be a busy one for me!  
**

**Warning: If sex between two consenting seventeen year olds goes against anyones delicate sensibilities, you might want to skip this chapter. =)**

**Chapter Sixteen**

He braced his arms on the dresser as he worked on catching his breath. His fingertips dug into the wood painfully. He raised his head and met his own eyes in the mirror and couldn't stand the look behind the eyes staring back at him. Couldn't shake the feelings slamming into him. The scars on his back started burning, like they were more than just a grim reminder of a pathetic existence.

He had so much more now than he ever had before. He had a family now. He had his dad and his brother. He had found a sister in Andrea and... Carol was everything he never even dreamed of having before. He had never let himself imagine that he'd find someone like her. But he had. So why did he feel so empty now?

He pushed away from the dresser, fists clinched at his sides as the burning in his back increased. He knew it was all in his head. He knew the woman couldn't hurt him anymore. Not physically anyway. It was never the physical stuff that scarred him the most to begin with.

He needed to calm down. He wanted to calm down. He sat down on the edge of his bed and hung his head, focusing on his breathing. He would be okay. She couldn't touch him. He didn't have to see her if he didn't want too. He would be alright. He wasn't alone anymore.

The burning in his back increased.

He yanked his shirt off and threw it at the door just before he turned off his lamp and crawled into bed. He was pretty sure Carol was going to stay away tonight. He'd been pissed off and he was pretty sure he had hurt her feelings pretty bad. He couldn't bring himself to go to her. Not like this.

He clenched his teeth as tears stung his eyes and he closed them tightly. He wouldn't let that bitch do this to him. He was better than that. He was better than her. He froze when he heard the door click open. She came anyway. Of course she would. He was an idiot to think she wouldn't. If it had been her hurting this bad he would have had no second thoughts about going to her.

The moon must have been full because he could see her clearly when he opened his eyes again He tried unsuccessfully to blink back the tears that had him feeling weak. She hovered by the door, unsure of herself. This was a first for her. He scooted over and moved the blanket, the same thing he did every night when she crept into his room. He realized then that he actually wanted her there. Needed her there, really.

She hurried across the floor as soon as she knew it was okay too and climbed into bed. He let the blanket fall over her but he didn't make a move to pull her closer like he usually did.

"Are you okay?" She whispered as she rolled over to face him, her hand coming up to cup his neck.

He nodded and moved until his forehead was touching hers. They fell asleep like this a lot. He didn't think sleep would find him tonight though. He realized that he had ditched his shirt at about the same time she did.

"If you want to be alone tonight I can go back to my room," her voice was soft and it caused a whole new ache inside of him.

He shook his head as her hand ran down his chest.

"I didn't want to tell you who called. I'm so sorry."

He wrapped an arm around her waist. "You didn't do nothin' wrong," his voice sounded tortured even to his own ears. He didn't want her to know how torn up he felt but she did. Of course she did. Her wondering hand was making its way up to his shoulder and then down his arm and back up again. He would have smiled at her timid explorations but he wasn't much in the mood for smiling at the moment. Her hands were distracting though and he felt the burn in his back start to subside as he focused on her.

"You know you got me, right?" She asked, her voice a little more breathless than it had been a moment ago. "I just don't know how to..." she made a frustrated sound and he could see the frown form between her eyes. "I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know how to be... yours."

"You're doin' fine as far as I can tell," he whispered and knew she could hear the husky quality in his voice.

"Yeah?" She breathed.

He nodded and tried to keep himself from tensing up when her hand slid around to his back. If she wanted to be his then he had to stop this shit. He had to let her in. All the way in. Maybe then he could really start to heal. He moved his head back so he could see her eyes. Her small hand slid up and down slowly and she didn't even blink. He knew what she was feeling, the texture under her fingertips couldn't have gone unnoticed, but she didn't pause or shy away. She didn't look at him with pity or sadness. She finally smiled slightly.

"I have a few of those myself. Just can't see mine. But they're there all the same." She traced the skin right under his eye with the very tips of her fingers, wiping away the wetness there. "Everybody hurts, Daryl," she whispered right before her lips met his.

She kissed him slowly, like she wanted to prolong the moment. It wasn't like the other times at all. It was different but somehow more at the same time. There was understanding in the way she touched him and there was something else that he didn't dare contemplate. Before it had been a rush. A moment heated with lust and longing. That was still there, of course, but it was tampered down by something bigger than that. Much much deeper than that.

She ran her thigh up to his hip just as he pushed his leg between her own and like earlier he wanted more. He wanted to touch every part of her but he didn't know how far she was willing to go. He did know that if it went much farther than this then stopping was going to be next to impossible.

"Carol, we might need to stop," he said against her lips.

She shook her head. "I don't want to stop." He was pretty sure he heard her right so he was surprised to feel her pushing him away with her hands. He rolled onto his back, not wanting her to think that he would try to take something that she wasn't ready to give.

But that wasn't something he needed to worry about. She followed him over, moving so he was on his back, trapped between her thighs. His breath caught in his throat as she raised up. All he could think about was the heat enveloping him. His clumsy hands ran up her thighs until he was gripping her hips and it took every ounce of willpower he had not to grind himself into her. "Are you sure about this?" He asked, his voice cracking, hoping to God that she was.

She looked down at him, biting at her bottom lip and then, to his utter amazement, she crossed her arms in front of her and whipped the t-shirt off. He was thankful for the moonlight that seemed to shine a silvery spotlight right on her. She was totally exposed before him. This time he didn't need her guidance. He took another few seconds to take her in. From the smooth flare of her hips to the flat planes of her stomach to her perfectly sculpted breasts, he drank her in so slowly he was sure that it was going to kill him.

He took his time, letting himself feel the silken skin under his hands as they traveled up her waist and over her ribcage. He looked up at her face just as his hands started exploring her further, palming the weight of her breasts as his thumbs slid slowly back and forth across the hardening peaks. Her lips parted, her eyes widening along with his. They were figuring this out as they went and so far it was working out. The last thing he wanted to do was mess this up.

Merle, being Merle, had given him pointers once Andrea had assured his older brother that him and Carol had definitely not been together. Not physically anyway. Apparently, if this was what was actually about to happen, then it was going to hurt her. There was no way around it. That part made him nervous. More than that really. It scared the hell out of him. That was the last thing he would ever want to do. But Merle said there were ways to make it less painful anyway. There were things he could do. Now he just had to remember all of those tips. At the time he had thought Merle was just being typical vulgar Merle. Looking at her like this, though, made those things sound a lot more fun than vulgar. Especially if she would like it.

He raised up, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing a trail down her throat. He half expected to wake up right about now. When his lips reached her breasts, however, she trapped his head between her hands to keep him in place, a soft moan escaping her lips. He latched onto her like a starving new born, eliciting a shocked cry from her. A cry that was followed by her grinding herself against him.

The only thing separating them was a thin pair of panties and his own pants. He hadn't even bothered with underwear after his shower.

His eyes shot up and met hers. She was watching him with enormous eyes and he never looked away as he traveled across the valley between her breasts, lavishing the same attention to the other side.

He tightened his hold on her and turned so her back was pressed into the mattress and he was hovering over her. He kissed her lips softly before lifting his head. "You sure this is okay?" he asked. He knew that she had spent a lot of her life fighting men off of her that would gladly take what she was offering him. He didn't want any doubt in her mind.

"I want you," she whispered.

His breath rushed out of him at those words and he kissed her again. "Carol, I really don't know what the hell I'm doin'."

"You're doin' just fine as far as I can tell," she used his own words against him and smiled. He closed his eyes when she touched the side of his face. "I trust you, Daryl."

He opened his eyes and stared down at her, mesmerized by her words. Words that he had never expected to hear someone say to him. He eased away from her, nervousness causing his hands to sweat now. He swallowed as he knelt in front of her on his knees. He took a deep breath and ran his hands down her thighs, still afraid that she was going to run out on him if he made one wrong move. He hooked the tips of his fingers through the elastic at her hips and hesitated. She rose up enough so he could slip them off easily.

She seemed surprised when he moved until he was lying next to her. "Daryl, I don't really know much about this either but I think you have take your clothes off too."

He wanted to laugh at her serious expression but he didn't. He just smiled and shook his head instead. She opened her mouth to say something else but she shut it and glanced down as his hand trailed down her stomach towards the juncture of her thighs. He watched her face carefully, hoping that Merle was right. If not then he was going to make a complete mess of this.

She chewed on her bottom lip until his fingers made contact with her flesh. Her lips parted, a small gasp escaping her. He had to hold back a groan. She was breathing heavily and her eyes were hooded and he had barely even touched her. And she was already wet, which Merle said may take a while. He had to have been doing this right. He explored her slowly, learning the feel of her so he could record it to memory in case this never happened again.

Merle told him that there was a certain spot that was the key to getting a girl...

Her hips pushed up into his hand and she moaned quietly. There it was. That hadn't been too hard to locate at all. And now to put this new knowledge to use. This was the part that he was the most nervous about. Other than the actually doing it part. He moved over her, kissing her again but didn't linger. He made a wet trail down her torso, his own need heightening as the smell of her warm skin invaded his senses.

"Daryl?" Her voice cracked as he ran his nose along her hipbone.

"Hmm?" he hummed against her stomach but he didn't give her a chance to say anything else. His head dipped low, he grabbed her ankles, planting her feet firmly on his shoulders, and teased her with the very tip of his tongue. The taste of her had his mouth watering.

"Holy shit!" She nearly yelled and his eyes cut up to meet hers as she rose up onto her elbows, her face a mask of shock and pleasure. He grinned, feeling lightheaded. He did exactly what Merle had told him to do. He explored her thoroughly as she moaned and dug her feet into his shoulders. Her thighs were trembling and she was gasping for breath. He took his time, tasting and teasing until he was almost in pain himself. His lips closed around the spot he had located earlier and he was glad no one was home since they would have all been woken up by her shocked cry.

He sucked gently as his tongue ran over her rapidly. He almost stopped when her back arched up off the bed and she almost screamed but her hands were in his hair and she was pushing his face further into her. Her body was shuddering and she removed one hand from his hair so she could cover her face with the pillow to muffle her sounds.

He finally lifted his head when her feet slipped off of his shoulders and she lay there trying to catch her breath. There was a fine sheen of sweat covering her naked form, her chest heaved and he could see clearly the play of muscle in her stomach as her body worked on coming down from wherever the hell it had gone.

He wasted no time at all, shucking off his own pants as he slid up the length of her. "Was that okay?" He wasn't even sure why he asked. It was pretty clear that whatever the hell he had just done to her had been pretty okay.

She pulled the pillow away from her face and looked at him as though she were in shock. She didn't say anything but she nodded slowly and then smiled wickedly before pulling his face down and kissing him hard.

This was the part that he wasn't sure about, and longing for, all at the same time. "You been taking those pills?" He asked.

She nodded quickly.

He took a deep breath. "You know this ain't gonna be no good, right? It's gonna hurt ya."

She nodded again, placing her palm against his cheek and raising up to kiss him softly. He adjusted himself at her entrance and met her eyes again. He couldn't put a name on the expression on her face but it made his chest ache a little.

"You don't have to do this." He gave her one last chance to change her mind but she just shook her head.

"I want this. I've _been_ wanting this," she breathed.

He almost wished that she had done this another time, with another guy. He didn't want to hurt her and once he eased his hips forward and realized that this was going to be a nearly impossible fit, he almost pulled away but he didn't. He wouldn't until she told him to stop. He eased himself inside of her slowly and he watched as her nostrils flared and she blinked furiously. He wasn't going to be able to do this. The thought of hurting her wasn't worth it, even if he was almost out of his fucking mind over how good this felt. Another inch and he stopped moving. He had reached a barrier and he didn't have it in him to go any further.

"Carol, I'm gonna stop..."

"Just do it, Daryl. Don't stop," Her teeth were clenched and there were tears in her eyes but he did what she said to do.

He took in a deep breath and held it, clenched his jaw and moved forward swiftly, the barrier giving way to a warm rush that he knew was blood. Merle told him all about that part too. She whimpered, tears spilling over as he buried himself into her with a ragged groan. "I'm sorry. Fuck, I'm sorry. We can stop, okay?" And he would have stopped too. But Jesus Christ he didn't want to. She gripped him so tightly that it was nearly painful and the heat was causing him to shudder despite himself. And every few seconds he could feel the muscles that surrounded him tremble from the aftershocks of her earlier orgasm.

"I don't want you to stop," she whispered as she rolled her hips experimentally.

He sucked in a breath and waited for her to give him the go ahead to move. Another roll of her hips had him dropping his head to her shoulder and whimpering himself. He thought he heard her chuckle but he wasn't sure. He wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not but this wasn't going to last long at all. He copied her movements, and could have wept with relief when she let go of a breath and smiled at him.

He moved into her slowly, making sure he was keeping himself in check. He kissed her neck, her jaw, her lips and then her arms snaked around his neck. It was when her legs wound around him that he realized how close he was. The pressure was building heavily low in his belly. His movements, although deeper, were less calculated than before.

"Daryl, I wanna feel you..."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck..."

Nothing anyone could have told him about his first time could have prepared him for this. Her legs tightened around him and he buried his face into her neck as his body quaked over hers when he finally let himself go inside of her. She was eagerly taking everything he had to give as he shuddered above her. When it was finally over he slowed to a stop, breathing heavily. Her hands smoothed over his shoulders and into his hair, her nails scraping across his scalp.

He eased out of her after a few long seconds and let his head drop to her chest. Under his ear he could hear her heart thundering. Her fingers ran lazily through his hair and he found himself smiling against her flushed skin. That had been kind of mind blowing. He felt drunk.

"Where did you learn how to do that if you've never..."

He chuckled quietly. "My brother." His voice was hoarse. He lifted his head so he could look at her, his mood growing somber at the memory of her pain. "I'm sorry about..."

"Stop it. That was..." She shook her head, "That was amazing."

"You feel alright?" He was still worried.

She nodded. "Sore, I guess. And I need a shower."

He sat up and grabbed his pants, pulling them on quickly and then handing her the t-shirt she had abandoned. He could use one himself. It didn't matter that he had taken one right before he had stormed off to his room. This would be the first hot shower he had taken in weeks.

"What are you doing?" She asked as she pulled the shirt on.

"Shower," he muttered as he grabbed her hand and led her out of the room. He left his shirt on his bedroom floor. For the first time since he had gotten them, he didn't think about the scars at all.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

Carol woke up and stretched lazily, feeling a smile on her face before she even knew what she was smiling about. She didn't open her eyes. Instead she burrowed into Daryl's side. His warm naked side. He was on his back, snoring softly, serene in sleep. No troubles plaguing him there. She could hear the others out in the living room and opened her eyes to a dimly lit room. The light was too gray for it to have been much past sunrise but when she glanced at the clock it said it was nearly eleven.

She raised up, clutching the blanket to her chest as she glanced at the window. Raindrops pelted the glass and now she understood why she thought that it was barely dawn. It was overcast outside. Her and Daryl were always the first ones up. They never slept this late. They hadn't slept after that shower so that was probably why they had slept in so late this morning. Daryl was a tracker. A hunter. A provider. That meant that once a new skill was learned he tried to hone that skill to perfection. Her face warmed at the memories that danced through her head. She wasn't sure if there was a spot left on her body that he hadn't explored. The warmth in her face spread over the rest of her. Despite how sore she was, she wanted him again.

Her shirt was tossed onto the other side of the bed and she tried to reach over him without waking him but it didn't work. His eyes snapped open and then he blinked once before pulling her all the way across his chest and kissing her neck.

She tried to right herself but he held on tightly and shifted until she was all the way on top of him. "Mornin'," he mumbled, a smug look in his eye that she wasn't used to. It almost reminded her of his brother.

"Morning's over. It's already eleven," she said with a smile.

He frowned and glanced towards the window and then the clock. "Well, fuck. The whole damn house is awake."

She nodded solemnly. "We need to get up," she said as she reached for her shirt.

He let her sit up to put the shirt back on but he openly ogled her. She didn't mind it. She was still amazed over what they had done last night. The things he had done. Sure, there had been some pain there but it had been worth it. To see him look so happy now would have been worth a lot more pain that what she had gone through. The warmth she felt a few moments ago turned into a rush of heat between her legs at the memory of the feel of him heavy inside of her.

She was pulled from her lustful thoughts when he suddenly laughed. He was obviously laughing at her and she narrowed her eyes. "Why are you laughing at me?"

He shook his head and then rolled her off of him, causing her to land on her ass next to him while he sat up and grabbed the pants that had been kicked to the foot of the bed. "You went to bed with your hair wet."

Her hands instantly went to her hair and she groaned. Her cheeks flushed. "Oh my God. I look ridiculous," she groaned.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled it away from her hair, kissing her palm before meeting her eyes with a serious expression. "Only a little," he deadpanned.

She slapped his chest and crawled off the bed, glaring at him over her shoulder as she grudgingly walked towards the mirror hanging over the dresser. She cursed her hair as she swept it back and secured it in a messy ponytail. She turned around, hands on her hips just to be smacked in the face with her jeans.

"We gotta talk to Buck about last night," he said quietly, all traces of humor wiped from his face.

She panicked. "What? What are you going to do, call a family meeting and tell all of them that we had sex?"

His eyebrows shot up. "I meant about that phone call."

She felt so stupid. Of course he would have to tell Buck about that. Where was her head this morning? She glanced from him to the bed. Oh yeah. It was probably somewhere under the blanket. She rolled her eyes at herself. She watched him as he went to the door, trying to gauge his mood but he seemed... happy.

"You comin'?" He asked, causing her to blush again. This time he caught it and barked out a laugh that reminded her of Buck and Merle. "Jesus, is that all you can think about now?"

She studied his sculpted arms, his wide shoulders, the muscles in his chest that she had ran her hands all over the night before, the lean waist and then his low slung pants...

"Carol?"

She looked up and from the look on his face that hadn't been the first time he had said her name.

He glanced towards the bed and then back to her. "Ya want too?"

She followed his eyes towards the bed and then nodded, chewing her lip nervously.

He took a step towards her when someone knocked at the door. Daryl rolled his eyes and threw the door open. Buck was standing there with his arms crossed, looking at Daryl with a very disapproving expression. "You were in bed before I got home last night so we didn't get a chance to talk. And we need to talk about what you did."

Daryl glanced over his shoulder and met her eyes. He looked down at her jeans and gave her a smirk. He turned back to Buck with a shrug. "I spose we do."

As soon as Daryl pushed the door closed she scooped her jeans up off the floor and yanked them on. She wasn't going to miss this, just in case Buck got really mad. He was going to need all of the support he could get.

~H~

Daryl followed Buck out into the living room. Sure enough Merle and Andrea were awake as well. They were sitting on the couch, watching Buck expectantly. Daryl wasn't sure what to expect from the man. It had been so long since he had had an actual parent that he wasn't too sure what an actual parent would do in this sort of situation. Not that Buck was typical by any standards. He partied with Merle. He was a member of a notorious motorcycle club, he let his sons girlfriends sleep in their beds with them.

And then shit like getting in trouble at school was going to be on his no no list? Daryl didn't know where the hell that was coming from but he wished like hell that Buck would just lay off.

"What exactly did those boys say about Carol that got your hackles up enough to knock their heads in, boy?" Buck asked.

Daryl shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged.

"They talked about how I would be in bed," Carol chimed in as she joined their little party.

Buck frowned and Daryl looked up, meeting his eyes. "Pretty much."

Merle grinned. "Did they say she looked to be a good lay?"

Daryl snatched a wooden statue off the bookshelf he was standing beside and launched it. It hit Merle square between the eyes. Merle howled and checked his forehead for blood and then jumped up from the couch, only to be put back down by Buck. "Cut that shit out. I'm bein' serious here."

Daryl crossed his arms over his chest and waited for Buck to get done glaring at Merle before he decided to end this bullshit discussion about school. When Buck finally looked over at him he dropped the bomb. "Jenna called here last night," he said before Buck could start in on him again.

The room grew very quiet then, all eyes landing on him nervously. He met each stare without blinking. Last night the news of her call had shocked him. Sent him reeling into himself. This wasn't last night.

"Did she talk to you?" Buck asked in a voice that chilled the very air.

Daryl shook his head. "Carol answered the phone."

Buck glanced at her and then back at him. Even Merle was looking on worriedly.

Carol sat down next to Andrea on the couch. "She said to tell you that she tracked you down and she wants to see her sons."

Merle stood up then, his face a mirror image of Buck's. "That fuckin' bitch ain't got no sons. She ain't goin' near him," He paced for a few seconds and then stopped, his eyes meeting Daryl's. "Are you alright?"

Daryl nodded and his eyes flicked towards the couch and met Carol's. She held his gaze as the room grew quiet. "I'm fine," he said.

Buck stomped past him, heading towards the back of the house but just as he went past he stopped in his tracks, his posture growing even more tense. Daryl realized, just then, that he had left his shirt in his room. Buck's head turned and he stepped behind him. Merle looked away, his eyes filled with shame. He blamed himself for every mark on Daryl's body.

He felt Buck's eyes raking over him, but he didn't try to hide. He didn't slither off to his room to feel sorry for himself or to freak out. He stood there, stiff and still, and let Buck see what he had always looked at as a reason to feel shame. He could feel the rage coming off of the other man. He heard Buck's breathing become accelerated as he looked down on the carnage that a woman that he had loved inflicted on his son.

Daryl glanced over his shoulder and met eyes identical to his own. "It's alright, Buck. The past is where it needs to be. In the past. You're gonna have a goddamn stroke over somethin' that's long over." Carol's voice filled his head at that moment. _Everybody hurts, Daryl._

Buck didn't say anything. He stalked off towards the kitchen and Daryl followed. He was actually kind of worried about him. Buck was usually a pretty calm guy. Now he looked like he was ready to strangle someone. On his way past the couch Merle tossed something at him and he caught it. It was Merle's shirt. Daryl nodded his thanks and slipped it on so Buck wouldn't have to look at his back anymore.

"Look, dad..." Daryl started but he closed his mouth when Buck turned to face him.

"Don't. Don't you fuckin' downplay a goddamn thing boy. You understand me?"

Daryl threw his hands up. "I ain't! I wasn't okay with it either. Not at all. But she did what she did and that shits over. Life is good, Buck. For fuck's sake. You don't even know how long I've carried that shit around with me."

"I wasn't there," Buck said, his face still dangerous but his eyes held pain. Daryl flinched.

"No. You wasn't," Daryl said quietly. "Neither was Merle. The shit happened. Now we gotta cut it the fuck loose."

Buck studied him for a long time. "What happened? Why, all of a sudden, you just shook it off? Merle told me that you've been fucked up ever since he came for you."

Daryl wanted to get pissed at his brother for saying that but he really couldn't. It was true. He wasn't like other people. He had been pretty fucked up because of the shit he had gone through. But that didn't mean someone couldn't get over something. He would always be different because of the life he'd had to endure but what Carol said last night was true. "Everybody goes through shit, Buck," he muttered.

Buck didn't look like he believed it. He hadn't seen Daryl then. He hadn't been around to watch the slow healing he had went through. He didn't know Daryl before Carol came along. Him then and him now were two very different people.

"She's gonna try to show up here. She ain't one to take kindly to not gittin' her way. If anybody knows that shit it's me," Buck growled as he picked up the phone.

"Who the hell are you callin'?" Daryl asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Buck didn't answer. Daryl already knew the person on the other end of the phone when Buck started talking. "Martinez? Yeah, I need a favor," Buck said into the phone and Daryl didn't stick around to hear anymore of the conversation. Chances were, calling their house last night, his mom had signed her own death warrant. And he didn't feel guilty for not giving a damn.


	18. Chapter 18

**I'm sorry that all of my updates have been coming so damn slow! I just haven't been feeling it lately and my sleeping patterns are all messed up and it cuts into my writing time! Thank you to everyone who is still hanging in there with me. I'm going to try like hell to do better, I promise! I really do appreciate all of you! Hope you have a safe weekend! =) **

**Chapter Eighteen**

That Saturday was a blur. Buck wouldn't leave them at the house alone so they had to go to the garage with him. Carol actually thought it was interesting and although the guys had made her nervous at first, she really liked them once she got to know them. Buck and Merle were always busy and that left her and Daryl on their own to piddle around a bike garage. It drove her crazy.

The people were nice, even if they were a bit scary, but she really just wanted to go home. That night they hadn't gotten home until late and when her and Daryl went to bed they both fell asleep quickly. She was used to having him to herself all the time. Even before Buck had came, he had let her tag along wherever he went.

And now there were a lot of things she wanted to do. Things that she couldn't do with so many people around.

Usually Buck and Merle didn't work on Sundays, and this Sunday was no different. But that didn't mean that Buck was going to sit at home all day. Carol was pretty sure that he thought that if Merle and Daryl's mother showed up, he would kill her. She didn't have a doubt in her mind that he wasn't capable of that. He hated the woman. So did Carol.

"Get dressed. We're goin' out," Buck called, waking them up early Sunday morning.

Carol had groaned and covered her ears with the pillow, taking refuge under Daryl's heavy arm.

"No givin' me any shit about it or I'm gonna make ya sleep in your own damn room from now on," he said, refusing to leave.

"Buck, why are you so mean to me?" Carol asked, her voice muffled by Daryl's neck.

"I ain't mean to you, now get your goddamn ass up. Now!"

She rolled over on to her back and sat up, glaring at the big man that wasn't going to leave the room until her and Daryl were up. "Happy now?"

He nodded.

"I don't wanna go anywhere," she complained as she threw the covers back and swung her legs around.

Buck gave her a disapproving look. "You know, you give me more shit than anybody else in this house?"

She looked up at him from under her lashes. "But that's why you like me better than the rest."

His lips twitched but he held onto his severe look. "Get dressed. Both of ya."

"When are we leaving?" She called after him.

"About an hour," he called back from behind the closed door.

She crawled back under the blanket and pressed herself against Daryl, who hadn't even bothered keeping his eyes open. They were open now though. She pushed his hair out of his eyes and smiled. "Morning," she whispered.

"Mornin'." His voice was gravelly with sleep. "Buck is an ass."

"Not really. He woke us up earlier than he had too. We have an hour to kill before we leave to wherever the hell he wants to take us."

His blue eyes darkened. She thought back to all the things he had done to her the other night. The way he took his time and made sure that everything was as good as he could make it. She suddenly had the overwhelming urge to do the same for him. She wasn't sure what to do but if she didn't give it a try then she would never know. Practice makes perfect.

She leaned in and kissed him as she pushed on his chest so he would roll over onto his back. He obliged and then he hauled her up until she was on top of him. She leaned down and kissed him deeply as his hands traveled up her thighs. Fire lit her veins at his touch.

She left his lips, her mouth going close to his ear. "I wanna make you feel good," she whispered and felt him shudder under her as his fingers dug into her hips. She heard him swallow hard. She had no idea what she was doing and didn't even care. Her lips trailed down his throat, teeth nipping at his skin as she went. His hands moved up to her hair as she moved her head lower, feeling the muscles in his chest flex as her mouth explored him the same way he had explored her.

His breaths came a little quicker when she ran her tongue down to his belly button, biting the tight skin of his stomach a little harder than she should have. He raised up on his elbows and her eyes shot up to meet his. He bit his bottom lip and looked at her with eyes that were dark and hooded. She inched down just a little and his nostrils flared slightly.

He had slept in his pants so her journey suddenly ended. Her heart was hammering hard in her chest. She was so nervous but she wanted this badly. She kept her eyes on his as she undid the button on his pants. She realized then that she had never touched him. Not really. That first night she had been too scared to do anything. He was the one that did it all. Now she was in control and she felt excitement spike her blood further.

She tugged his pants down a little and then slipped her hand inside. She was pretty sure his eyes widened at the same time hers did. She blushed furiously and took a deep breath just as his hitched when she freed him from the confines of his pants. She had no idea what she was suppose to do. He had at least gotten pointers from Merle. She was completely clueless. And more than a little shocked at the size. How in the world had that fit inside of her?

She ran her hand up the length of him, her eyes meeting his again. He was watching her and she had no idea what to do for him. She remember what he had done to her that night. The way it had felt when his mouth had been on her. She wasn't such an innocent that she didn't know that a lot of girls did certain things for their boyfriends. The problem was, she had never had a boyfriend. She was winging this and she hoped she didn't make a fool of herself.

It was now or never, and with that thought she ran her tongue up the underside of him, reveling as a shocked whimper escaped his lips. His hand went to her hair and he licked his lips as he watched her. This gave her more courage so once she made it to the top she took him into her mouth, careful not to drag her teeth across the sensitive flesh.

"Holy shit," he breathed as she took him further into her mouth. When she felt the urge to gag she came back up. The muscles in his stomach tightened as she continued her ministrations. She was thrilled with herself. She never thought she would ever even want to do something like this. She definitely never thought that she would actually be good at it. The way he was looking right back at her made that heat in her veins settle low in her belly.

She had felt that pull towards him before but not like now. Now it was different. Now the need she felt for him was all consuming and she didn't feel like she had much control over her own body anymore.

He was panting by the time she raised her head. She could tell her eyes were wild but she couldn't help it. "Daryl..." she sounded desperate to her own ears.

His face changed then, going from relaxed to predatory in the blink of an eye. He suddenly untangled his hand from her hair and then pulled her up, kissing her desperately. When his hands went to the waistband of her panties she batted them away and rolled off of him, pulling them down her own legs. He was kicking his pants the rest of the way off and then in one swift motion he grabbed the corner of the blanket and then rolled onto her, covering them both just in case someone came into the room.

His lips met hers greedily. He wasn't being as gentle as he had with her before. She could feel him pressing against her and she couldn't believe how frantic she felt. All she could think about was him.

"You sure?" He asked, hesitating.

She nodded and squirmed below him.

No matter how frantic he had been, when he moved his hips he did so very slowly, not wanting to hurt her again and she loved him for it. Inch by inch he filled her, stretched her until finally he stilled. His eyes searched her face as her breath rushed from her. She pulled him down and kissed him and that was all it took before he was moving. He started out slowly, still holding back. She knew she had to be quiet but it was hard. Any time a sound escaped her he would kiss her back into silence. When she pulled her knees up towards her chest he growled low in his throat. The angle was a little different. He was seated deeper inside of her and his pace quickened steadily.

She felt herself growing hotter as her legs wound around his waist. She felt lightheaded as her heart pounded out a rhythm that he seemed to hear. She was surprised at the pressure building deep inside her. With every thrust he drove her closer to some precipice, causing her to gasp for air.

She met his eyes and saw his widen slightly right before she felt it hit her, her body apparently giving him a hint as to what was about to happen, when she was clueless herself. The cry that left her was short lived as he crushed her mouth with his own. An explosion of sensation slammed into her and then seemed to radiate outward towards her limbs.

He tore his mouth away from hers, burying his face in her neck and shushing her at the same time as her eyes rolled back into her head. Her nails dug into his shoulders. She could feel her muscles tightening around him as the pleasure knocked the breath out of her, trying to hold him in place.

He muttered something into her neck and then she felt him pulsing inside of her, the heat that filled her as he let himself go with a sharp intake of breath and a series of muttered curses. She turned her head, seeking his lips to cover up her own moans of pleasure as she came down slowly. He didn't still until he was sure that she was finished. And even when he did stop he didn't pull out of her yet. He didn't even lift his head from where he had buried it in her neck again. She could still feel that low key throb of pleasure pulsing around him.

He slowly moved away until he wasn't inside of her anymore but he kept his face where it was as his heart slammed against her own. This wasn't like their first time. Everything about it had felt amazing. She ran her fingers through his hair as her breathing slowed along with her pulse. When he moved his head it was only to kiss the base of her throat.

"You seemed to have more fun that time," he muttered and she could feel the smile against her overheated skin.

"I did," she grinned.

He finally raised up, bracing himself with his arms. "Somebodies gonna bust through that door if we don't get our asses out of bed. Buck is on a roll this mornin'," he said as he glanced over his shoulder towards the door.

She sighed as he rolled off of her. She felt sleepy and sated now but she knew he was right. Buck was relentless and he wouldn't let them get away with staying in bed all day. Even if that was exactly what she wanted to do.

She was surprised at herself when she realized that she wanted him again. Right now. But it would have to wait. She rolled over, facing him, and kissed him quickly before getting up. She hadn't even taken her shirt off so she was covered up well enough. She grabbed a pare of shorts out of his top drawer and slipped them on just as Merle barged into the room.

Daryl was laying on his back with his hands shoved under the pillow, looking at Merle with an annoyed expression on his face.

She had no idea how Merle knew but it was obvious that he did. "Y'all get it all out of your system?" He asked with a smirk on his lips.

She rolled her eyes at him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Merle glanced between the two of them again and his eyes landed on her. "Yeah ya do. Buck sent me back here to get you about twenty minutes ago. Y'all were kinda busy, what with my brother all balls deep and all. I was nice enough to let ya both get your rocks off."

Carol was sure the room would burst into flames from the heat of her face. "You didn't," she gasped.

Merle grinned. "I did."

Daryl groaned. "What the fuck did you tell Buck?"

Merle shrugged. "Told him you was takin' ginger for a mornin' spin."

Carol made a strangled sound when she opened her mouth to speak. She had always wanted a big family. She had always wanted a lot of siblings. But right now she wanted to break something over Merle's head. It didn't matter that she had started looking at him like a big brother. "Get. Out." She barely recognized her own voice.

Merle's eyebrows shot up but he did back towards the door. "Hey, I just thought I would be nice. I could have told you to cut that shit out so we could leave but I didn't."

The sad thing was, she believed him. It was a very Merle thing to do. It didn't make her feel less embarrassed though.

Merle left the room quickly after that. When her eyes landed on Daryl she couldn't believe what she was seeing. The pillow was over his face but the blanket was pulled down just above his hips and she could tell by the way he was moving that he was laughing about this!

She stormed out, heading towards her own room so she could get some clothes for a shower. She loved them all but one thing was for sure. The Dixon household was a tough place for a girl sometimes.


	19. Chapter 19

**I got another update for you. Some of you have been asking for specific things and that's cool but I'm just not sure if I'm going to be able to deliver. Some of you want more Mandrea and I'm honestly not sure if I'll write that or not. The reason I started this story was because writing it makes me pretty happy. It's my go to place. In the past I always try to please everyone else and in doing so I put too much on my plate and the story becomes less than my own. This one is just for me. I wasn't going to share it at all. I just wanted something to write that lightened the mood but the people that did read it liked it so much I decided to share. I'll totally understand if any of you need to move on, though. I would hate to lose readers but I would hate to lose sight of this story even more. I'm kind of in love with it. lol It makes me laugh. Hopefully you will all stick around till the end. I see no end in sight and we all need a little happiness with our ship right now. So, thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter even though it's just a filler! Much love to all of you!**

**Chapter Nineteen**

Carol never found herself wishing for her old life back. Not really. She felt like she was in one of those rags to riches stories. She went from having nothing but Andrea to having everything she had ever hoped to have. With that said. Her new male parental unit was driving her completely insane.

Daryl had tried to fight for her and, to her surprise, so did Merle. Andrea usually stayed quiet but even she glared at Buck when he announced that Carol was still going to have to go to school, even though Daryl wouldn't be going back at all.

They all argued that it wasn't fair. All three of them had picked up on her anxiety right away but Buck wasn't listening to them at all.

"Look," He said, holding up a hand to silence his sons, "She's too goddamn smart for her own good. Their ain't no reason for her _not _to go."

Carol hated that they were talking about her like she wasn't even there. She was slumped in her seat, staring dejectedly out the window of the small diner Buck had taken them too for breakfast. "So is Daryl. So is Merle. Hell, Andrea is smarter than I am. Why just me?" She didn't sound angry. There was no use in it. This was Buck and he was much more strong willed than any of them. She was just curious. She didn't understand why his focus was on her and school.

He sighed and pushed around his eggs with a fork. She turned her head to look at him and he looked up, eyes the same as Daryl's stared back at her. "Andrea is street smart. She's on her game. She makes good money and she knows how to work people. Merle, he's already set with a job. He's good with his hands."

She poked at her gravy, not feeling like eating.

Buck went on. "And Daryl. Daryl is an asshole but he's a lucky asshole. He's got the same kind of skills his brother has."

Merle laughed. "That's the truth too, from what I saw this mornin'."

Four sets of eyes landed on him angrily and he had the good sense to dig back into his pancakes.

Buck cleared his throat, demanding her attention once more. "I'm not doin' this to mess with ya, darlin'. It's just somethin' that you need to do."

"Okay," she said quietly as she leaned her chin on her palm and poked at the gelatinous mess that had been her breakfast.

She wasn't going to argue with him anymore. She had no aspirations to go off to college but she would do what she needed to do to keep the peace in the house. She was tired of the fighting and she felt bad because she felt like it was all her fault.

"What?" Daryl looked up, sucking bacon grease from his finger.

"I'll go to school. It's no big deal."

He shook his head. "You damn near lost your shit right there in the hallway, and that was with me with you."

She ran her foot up his leg, causing him to jump. "I'll be fine. Me and Andrea had to face a lot bigger problems than school over the last two years," she smiled reassuringly but on the inside she felt sick. The streets were one thing. This was something totally different. This was terrifying.

Buck looked at Daryl. "She'll be alright, boy. You're gonna go with me and your brother. Clem said you could work mornin's cleanin' up around the shop and take on minor jobs in the afternoons. You can drop her off and pick her up every damn day."

Daryl still didn't look very happy about it but he kept his mouth shut. Every now and then he would look up to try to gauge her mood. The truth was, she was kind of excited. The things Buck had said about her being smart and him knowing that she could go somewhere with her life had made her feel good. She hadn't heard anyone say anything like that about her before. She almost wanted to apply herself and prove him right. She wanted him to be proud of her.

She smiled as she gazed out the window. It was the first time in her life that she really felt like the sky was the limit. Of course, she did have to swallow down quite a bit of fear, but she had faced worse things in her life. She could do this.

~H~

Daryl stared out the front window as the rain came down in sheets. It was almost dark out now and they had only been home for a few minutes. Buck was hell bent on keeping them away from the house as much as possible and that meant he had to drag them around everywhere. He felt uneasy. He had since breakfast that morning. He didn't want Carol to have to go to school without him. He knew she was tough. Hell, she was tougher than he was in a lot of ways. He sighed deeply.

"She's gonna be fine, ya know."

He turned his head, surprised that Andrea had snuck up on him. He was usually a lot more aware of the people around him. He needed to stop worrying. Andrea stared out the window at the wet landscape, her arms crossed over her chest. "Yeah," he muttered. "I know."

He turned back towards the scenery.

"Are you worried that she might meet someone else?" Andrea asked. "You don't really strike me as the jealous type but you never know."

He looked at her again and noted the small smile on her lips. "I ain't," he said defensively. It was true. He knew Carol. He knew Carol better than he even knew himself and that was saying a lot for such a damn introvert.

Andrea nodded. "She's in love with you," she said simply.

Daryl felt his nostrils flare as a heavy breath left his lungs. He kept his face neutral but those five words she had uttered so casually had sent his emotions on a strange ride. What the hell did he know about love? It was a strange concept and he was having trouble wrapping his mind around the word, let alone contemplate whether or not it could be true. He knew that she wanted him. Hell, coming to terms with that had been difficult enough. Could there be more to it than that? "Did she say that?" He asked, keeping his voice level.

She shrugged. "She doesn't have to say it. She's different now. She changed almost as soon as she met you."

A small thrill shot up his spine causing gooseflesh to break out on his bare arms. He hadn't talked with Andrea a whole lot. Merle did all the time but the two of them had just never had a whole lot to say to each other. "How was she before?" He asked, genuinely curious. He knew he had changed. He had changed a lot. But that was him.

Andrea sighed. "I worried about her. She was in the system longer than I was. She spent a lot of time fighting. She had too. She avoided most people. She hated guys in general. She didn't trust them and she had no need to be around them. I don't know what happened when she met you but I saw it." She glanced at him. "Merle told me about you. He told me about the stuff that happened and how you just shut everyone out. The two of you are the same, ya know. It was like you were _suppose_ to find each other."

A crack of thunder had the lights flickering. "You mean like some kinda predestined... shit?" Man, he was articulate.

She grinned but didn't look at him. "Very much some predestined shit."

"What about you and Merle?" He asked, looking back out as lightning slashed a jagged line through the dark sky.

"Me and Merle are just a by product of your very bitchin' love story, Daryl."

They both laughed although his face flamed.

"What's so damn funny?" Merle asked from behind them. They both turned away from the window just as Buck and Merle came into the room. Carol was in Daryl's room where she had grudgingly taken her book bag and was now probably sprawled out on his bed, doing homework.

"Nothing, Merle," Andrea grinned and went to the couch where Merle was now sprawled out.

Daryl didn't have any intentions of sitting around with these three. He made his way to his room and sure enough she was lying on his bed on her stomach with a pencil clamped between her teeth. There was a frown forming between her eyebrows. She didn't even look up as he quietly shut the door. She must have really been trying to concentrate.

"Hey," he mumbled as he crawled over her. Andrea's words swirled around in his mind when she turned her head, plucking the pencil from between her lips.

"Hey," she huffed. "I hate this crap."

He laid down next to her, their shoulders touching, and slid the book over so he could look at what she was having trouble with. It was pretty easy math. Or it was to him anyway.

They both looked up when someone knocked loudly on the door. "Are the two of you decent?" Buck called.

"Just a minute Buck, I have to help Daryl put his clothes back on real quick!" Carol called.

Daryl elbowed her. "It's open," he yelled after giving her an exasperated look.

"Not funny, Carol," Buck muttered when he came in, closing the door behind him.

"Neither is math you evil man," she grumbled as she slid the book back over. She looked up at him and Daryl could tell just by the look in her eyes that she was going to, once again, try to bait his father. "Buck, what if I don't wanna go to school because I already know what I'm gonna be when I'm all grown up."

Buck rolled his eyes and then crossed his arms over his chest. "What's that?"

She shrugged and slammed the book closed. Daryl watched her. "Well, I figure that within the next five years we'll have at least four kids and that means if your son knocks me up then it's only proper to marry me. So, I'll be a housewife. All you have to know how to do then is how to cook and clean and change all those diapers. Ya know? Easy stuff. I'll be wasting my time in school." She smiled sweetly as Buck's face reddened.

Daryl gaped at her. Kids? He didn't want any damn kids. Did she really want four? Over the next five years? Jesus, they had only had sex a few times and she was suppose to be on the pill. He found himself scrambling up onto his knees, his eyes growing wide. "Kids? You said you was on the damn pill!" He looked over at Buck, "I don't know what the hell she's talkin' about!"

Buck tried. Daryl had to give him that. But he didn't succeed. He barked out a laugh that caused Daryl to nearly jump out of his skin as Carol rolled over onto her back and grinned up at him.

"You're a real asshole, Carol," Daryl grumbled once he realized that she was just trying to get a rise out of one of them. She had clearly been expecting Buck to be the one left sputtering, not him.

"I was just gonna remind ya to set that alarm for in the mornin'," Buck said as he made his way through the door. He shook his head and chuckled again as he pulled it closed.

Daryl glared at her. "You think you're cute, huh?" He grumbled.

She beamed at him. "You think I'm cute."

In one swift motion he was on her, both of her hands in his as he pinned them above her head. He glared at her as she struggled to get her hands free. He shook his head slowly. If she wanted to play then that was fine. He'd play. She was pretty much trapped between his knees, her hands in a grip she wasn't going to break out of easily.

"I'll scream for Buck if you don't let me go," she threatened, her eyes going wide.

He shook his head again. She opened her mouth like she really was about to scream for his dad so he descended on her quickly. The sound that escaped her wasn't a scream but a whimper as his teeth dragged across her bottom lip. Her breath came out in a rush. He didn't let go of her hands but he shifted until he was between her legs.

She wasn't wearing anything but a tank top and a small pair of cotton shorts and he could easily feel the heat coming off of her in waves as he deepened the kiss and finally let her hands go. They instantly wrapped around his neck.

He loved her.

The realization smacked him in the face, causing him to pull back from her slightly. His heart was thumping out a pained rhythm in his chest and he wished that Andrea was around so he could cuss her out for putting these thoughts in his head. It wasn't that he didn't want to love her. He wasn't sure what it was that had him feeling so uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"What's wrong?" She asked breathlessly, her eyes wide and questioning.

He met them and held them for a long time without saying a word. He was seventeen years old. What the hell did he know about shit like this? The physical stuff was easy. He was well equipped for that and they fell pretty easily into the physical aspect of an actual relationship. He was comfortable with that. This other shit was beyond him.

"Daryl?"

He rolled off of her and reached for the book he had swept onto the floor. She sat up on her elbows, frowning. "You should finish this shit so you ain't gotta worry about it tomorrow," he said without meeting her eyes.

She sat up all the way and crossed her legs Indian style, taking the book from him with a frown. He moved off the bed and stood there awkwardly while she watched him. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Daryl, did I do something wrong?"

He met her eyes then and shook his head, snorting. "No. Just remembered that I needed to talk to Merle bout somethin' and you need to get that shit taken care of before tomorrow and Buck will prolly just barge his ass back in here. You didn't do nothin'." Jesus, he was rambling like a moron.

She looked a little wounded and he didn't blame her. He just needed to get his shit together and he couldn't do that with her squirming around under him in those barely there shorts. He went to her, bracing his hands on the bed and caught her lips with her own. It was so easy to sink into it. To lose himself in the feel of her, the taste of her.

He pulled back and forced a smile. She studied him and then offered him a small one of her own but it didn't reach her eyes. She'd be okay. So would he as soon as he got some air. Why was it so goddamn hot in here all of a sudden?


	20. Chapter 20

**Hi guys! I enjoyed writing this chapter for quite a few reasons. I want you to keep in mind that Carol has lived a much different life in this story than the Carol on the show and so she may have slightly different reactions to certain things. lol Now, I'll go ahead and let you get to reading. Thank you all for the reviews and favorites and follows! I would like to send out a special thanks to starbuck777 who gave me a gentle kick in my ass and got me writing for Black Moon Blues again. I'll have an update for it later on. And to cullengirl91 for all her kind words and encouragement. You crazy kids are awesome ;) It's readers like you that keep weird and sensitive writers like me pushing through! Much love to you both!**

Chapter Twenty

Daryl sat down heavily on the steps, pulling his knees up and wrapping his arms around them as he stared off into the darkness. The rain fell straight down, the way it often did in Georgia. He thought back to the year that him and Merle had spent in the cabin and smiled vaguely. He missed it. His life was simple then. But then he shook the thought off. He didn't miss that lonely cabin as much as he would have missed Carol had he been forced to leave without her.

When did things get so complicated? He wasn't used to it. He wasn't used to feeling like his whole world balanced on the whims of another person. He had learned to depend on himself and had grown comfortable with it. But now he felt like he depended on her. And what if Andrea was wrong? What if she didn't love him at all?

He blew out a heavy breath and watched as lightning made a light show in the darkness beyond the porch. He could have laughed at the irony of it all. Here, all this time, Merle had been worried that there was something wrong with him. Now here he was, dealing with the same kind of things that other seventeen year olds dealt with. School drama and girls. Well... a girl anyway. He shook his head feeling a lot more calm than he had when he had been in his room with Carol. It almost pissed him off that Andrea had opened her big flopping mouth. Him and Carol had been just fine until she said that. Now he wasn't sure where his head was.

He heard the door shut quietly and suspected Carol. She wasn't too good at leaving him alone. When he heard heavy boots crossing the small porch he looked up, knowing it wasn't her. Buck looked down at him, frowning. He sat down on the other side of the steps and moved so him and Daryl were facing each other. "You sure left in a hurry," Buck noted as he studied him.

Daryl shrugged. "Needed some air."

Buck nodded slightly and rubbed the back of his neck. "She's a real good girl, son. They both are. Y'all was lucky to find'em."

Daryl didn't know how Buck did it. He had always been in tune with anything his sons were going through. He always seemed to know what was going on with them. He was happy to see that that was still the case, even though him and Merle wasn't a couple of little boys anymore. "I know that."

Buck sighed heavily. "You worried about her bein' on her own?"

Daryl shook his head. "Nah. She'll be alright. She's been through a lot worse shit than school." The silence that followed was a comfortable one. Neither of them had ever needed to fill in the quiet with mindless chatter. The rain that pounded on the porch roof was soothing out his frayed nerves and giving him a chance to sort out all the thoughts that had been racing through his head.

He knew how stupid it was for freaking out like he had. It was just further proof that Merle had been right. His mom really had done a number on him. But he was better. He had gone from being unable to really even talk to women to actually letting one into his bed. If that wasn't progress then he didn't know what was. And so damn what if he was feeling all kinds of shit that he hadn't ever felt before. It happened to everyone eventually and Andrea said herself that Carol was just about as fucked up as he had been.

"You thinkin' about goin' back to school?" Buck asked after a long time.

Daryl glanced at him and scowled. "I don't know."

Both of there heads turned towards the driveway when they saw headlights bounce off the trees. The house was pretty well hidden away, surrounded on all sides by the woods with a narrow winding drive cutting through the trees from the road.

"Get in the house," Buck growled as he stood up.

Daryl scrambled to his feet and shot Buck a look. "If it's her I can deal with it. We don't need you getting locked back up. They ain't gonna let your ass out next time."

"Don't worry about me. If it's her I don't want her comin' anywhere near you."

"I ain't some kid, Buck. I can deal with it." And he truly believed that he could. She didn't have any power over him anymore and he would be a damn idiot if he let her. He wasn't a kid. He wasn't powerless and if she tried to touch him he would break her face. He wouldn't lay his hands on a woman. But she wasn't a woman. She was something else and he wouldn't hesitate to protect himself against her. That was where he had messed up as a kid. He hadn't fought her back. He let her do the things she had done to him. He wouldn't let her again.

"Get in the house," Buck bit out as he threw him a dangerous look.

He wasn't going to argue with him. He went inside and was greeted by Merle who was heading towards the door with a murderous look on his face. Great. How the hell had he heard the car coming up the drive over the rain? Daryl didn't know but he stepped aside to let Merle get by.

"Stay the fuck in the house, Daryl. I mean it," he growled as he brushed by.

Daryl glared at his back as he slammed the front door shut. Merle's use of his actual name told him that to Merle and Buck, this was very serious. To Daryl, however, it just seemed like another obstacle. He knew he would have to face her some day. It might as well be now when he felt as though he were ready for it. With a scowl in place he stormed down the hallway to his room.

When he walked in Carol looked up, her expression concerned and still a little hurt. He nearly forgot about the drama that could very well be going on outside when she offered him an unsure smile. Merle and Buck could take care of themselves, even if it was his problem and not theirs. It wasn't like they would let him deal with his own mess.

"You get that stuff all finished up?" He asked as he shut the door behind him.

She nodded and stood up. "I did. I don't know if it's all right but at least it's done."

"Good," he mumbled.

She narrowed her eyes and frowned. "Daryl, what's wrong?"

He glanced towards the windows but they didn't face the front of the yard so he wasn't even sure what he was looking for. "Somebody pulled up a few minutes ago. Ain't sure if it's her or not but Buck and Merle are out there."

His eyebrows shot up at the look on her face. Her expression went from worry to a deep seething look he had never seen before. Her jaw hardened as her teeth clenched and her blue eyes grew cold as ice. Without a word she stormed past him and threw open the door. He was on her heels in a second. Before they reached the living room they heard the front door open and she quickened her steps.

Buck walked in, followed by Merle and a woman that Daryl had never seen before. Carol didn't stop, even though both men and now the woman, were looking at her curiously. Daryl opened his mouth to speak but something totally astonishing happened.

Carol, the sweet girl that he had grown to know, stepped right up to the woman and punched her square in the jaw. The hit was solid and whipped the woman's head to the side. She was about to go in for another hit when Buck suddenly had her around the waist, lifting her easily with one arm until she was dangling there in mid air.

"You go near him and I'll rip your eyeballs out you crazy bitch!" She shrieked.

"Goddamn it, girl! What in the hell are you doin'?" Buck grunted as she tried to squirm out of his grip.

Daryl realized then what she must have thought. Unfortunately she was very wrong. She thought this woman was his mom. She wasn't. He had no idea who it was.

"Carol?" Andrea's voice floated up from behind Daryl and he turned to look at her. Her eyes went to the newcomer and widened. "Karen?"

Karen was holding the side of her face gingerly as she stared at Carol with wide eyes, not looking at Andrea yet. Buck put his lips close to Carol's ear and said something that caused her to finally grow still. Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hand.

Merle grinned. "Carol, meet Andrea's boss, Karen."

"Oh. My. God." Carol's voice held all the remorse in the world as Buck lowered her back down to the ground.

Andrea walked further into the room. "What in the hell is going on here?" She demanded.

Merle threw an arm over her shoulders. "Well, Karen came all the way out here, durin' a storm, to let us know that there's been a few people askin' about us at the bar. Carol thanked her by tryin' to break her jaw."

Andrea's wide eyes landed on Carol. "What the hell?"

Carol finally looked at her and had the good grace to lower her eyes shamefully. "I thought she was Daryl's mom," she muttered.

Daryl didn't wait around to see what the fall out from this was going to be. He walked up and grabbed her hand, tugging her towards the hallway.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know who you were," she said before Daryl could drag her away.

"Is this how you greet everyone?" Karen asked, seeming more shocked than anything else.

"I..." Carol closed her mouth and let Daryl lead her to his room. Once the door was shut she crossed her arms over her chest, her face growing red. "Daryl, I punched that lady right in the face," she said miserably.

He wasn't too sure what the hell to think about what she had done. He was mostly shocked. And impressed. And something else that he couldn't put a name on. "You did."

"Do you think she'll fire Andrea for what I did?" She looked up at him with wide innocent eyes. She looked very different than she had when she had stormed out of his room.

"I don't think so. She didn't seem too heated over it," he shrugged. "How's your hand?"

She held it out in front of her and grimaced. "It hurts like hell but I deserve it."

He lifted her hand and studied her knuckles. They were red but he doubted she had hit the woman hard enough to cause herself any real damage. His ran his thumb across her wrist and smiled a little. "So, you just thought it would be a good idea to walk right up to my mom and punch her in the face?" He raised a brow at her.

She looked away, clearly embarrassed but he forced her to look at him with a gentle finger under her chin. He was actually flattered that she would do something like that for him. It was different than the way Merle and Buck acted. She sighed. "I'd do a lot more than that for you, Daryl," she mumbled, dropping her head again. This time he let her look away.

He dropped her hand and placed his own on her hip, dipping his head and kissing her lightly under her ear. He grinned against her skin when he heard her breath hitch.

"You aren't mad about me doing that?" She asked as her hands smoothed over his chest.

He shook his head slightly. "Nah," he whispered close to her ear, "I thought it was pretty fuckin' hot. You're kind of a bad ass. I like it."

She laughed quietly as she rested her forehead on his shoulder. "I just hope that I didn't mess up Andrea's job. I'll feel awful."

His arms went around her then as the smile faded from his lips. He remembered exactly what the woman had come here to relay to them. He didn't panic though. He breathed in her scent and closed his eyes. Focusing on the calmness that she seemed to be evoking in him at the moment. His troubled thoughts stilled before they could even take off to torment him. When her arms went around his neck his nerves smoothed out further.

He was ready to face the woman that had tormented him. As long as the one that kept him grounded stuck around for a while.

**See what I mean? She has a bit of a temper. I like writing her that way. LOL! If you haven't noticed ;)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Here you go! Another chapter for you! Thank you all for reading! There is a slight smut warning for this one just in case you want to skip it =) **

Chapter Twenty One

Carol shoved the books into her locker and slammed it shut quickly. The day hadn't been as horrible as she had expected. She realized that the only reason that she had freaked out so badly the other day was because she had Daryl to lean on. Now she was on her own and she knew it and she dredged up her store of courage and pushed through the day without panic. She was stronger because she had no choice but to be strong today.

It was finally lunch time and Daryl had promised her that he would be there. She wanted to sprint out the door, eager to see a familiar face. His face. But she kept her steps slower than a run for fear of looking stupid in front of the throngs of other students that made their way down the hall. It had been raining off and on all morning but it finally seemed to be slowing. The skies were still heavy and grey but it wasn't raining anymore.

She walked out the doors and then almost stopped when she saw him. He was leaning against the front fender of the truck with his feet crossed at the ankles. He had on a black sleeveless t-shirt and jeans that were stained with oil. He raised his head and when his eyes met hers he grinned at her. There were other students that opted to go outside but his eyes never left her's as she made her way towards him.

"How bad has it been?" He asked once she was finally near enough to hear him.

She didn't say anything. She kept walking until she pressed right up against him. Pulling his face down to her he grunted as she kissed him deeply, not caring that there were plenty of people around to watch. By the time he started kissing her back she wasn't thinking about the other people at all anyway. His hands went to her hips, pulling her closer.

When she finally pulled away she only moved her head back. She kept her body pressed against his. "I missed you," she grinned, "But it hasn't been that bad."

He nodded, his eyes darkening. "I can see that." She felt the muscles in his shoulders flex under her fingers as he gripped her tighter.

She bit her lip, glancing up at him from under her lashes causing him to narrow his eyes at her. "How do you like the job?" She asked lightly, well aware of his arousal pressing into her stomach. She feigned ignorance even as her heart picked up.

He shrugged. "It ain't so bad really. I don't make as much as Merle or Buck but it's better than most people my age get. Get to work on bikes now that Clem knows that I know what I'm doin'. It seems to be workin' out pretty good." His hands moved lower.

"That's good I guess," she couldn't hide her disappointment. She had been hoping that he would miss her so much that he would want to come back to school. She knew that it was selfish but she couldn't help it. It would have been a lot easier if he was there with her.

"Yeah. It is. I got less than a year before I'm eighteen. I ain't got no plans of livin' with Buck and Merle forever. I can start savin' now and get the hell out on my own. I'm tired of them treatin' me like I'm some kinda fuckin' idiot that can't take care of myself."

She frowned. "They don't think that at all."

He scoffed. "You didn't see how they was actin' last night before they found out who was really at the house."

"They care about you," she argued, fear causing her heart to throb harder than before even though she couldn't put her finger on exactly what it was she was scared off.

"Yeah, and I care about them. I can care about them from my own damn house," he smiled at her but she couldn't find herself able to return it.

The thought of him moving out wasn't something that she wanted to deal with right now. She realized that was where the fear was coming from. Would he really leave her? They were still just now trying to figure this relationship out. It was complicated just because of who they were. Now she had this to worry about.

"What the hell's the matter?" He asked.

"I don't want you to move out," she said quietly, her eyes coming up to meet his.

He snorted and moved her away from him a bit so he could look at her easier. "The hell are you talkin' about, Carol? You can't tell me ya wanna live with my dad for the rest of your life."

"I don't. Especially if you aren't going to be there. Not that I don't love Buck. I do. Even Merle, but they aren't you." She cursed herself inwardly for sounding so desperate.

"_Us_, dummy."

She blinked. "What?"

"If you're still around in a year then I want to move _us_ out. Not just me. I wouldn't leave ya there," he said quietly as he pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Oh!" She pulled back a little more. "I thought..."

"Unless you don't want too. I was just thinkin' that maybe you'd..." Now he was the one floundering. "I didn't mean to act like you'd for sure go with..."

"I would. I mean, I want to," she cleared her throat. "I want to live with you. If I didn't I never would have came here." She couldn't believe he actually wanted to move out with her. Sure it was nearly a year away but that didn't matter. Not to her. She couldn't see herself being with anyone else. She knew that everything about their relationship was a lot different than most people's but that didn't matter to her either. He wanted to be with her. He saw himself being with her in the future. When he had pulled away from her last night it had scared her.

This news had her feeling excited. She had one class left for the day. It was the same one she had missed on Friday do to the fight that Daryl had found himself in. Gym class. Definitely not a class that she would be missed in.

"Come on," she muttered as she grabbed his hand and started leading him around the side of the school.

"What the hell are you doin', Carol?" He asked suspiciously. He let her drag him along without arguing with her.

She kept walking, taking note that other students, most standing around smoking, weren't paying her or Daryl any mind. She knew that everyone else would be in the cafeteria at the moment so she wasn't very worried about them getting caught. If they did, well, she would deal with Buck later.

"Where in the hell are we goin'? I got your lunch in the truck. Ain't you hungry?" He asked as soon as she made it to the door.

She glanced over her shoulder and nodded with a smile. She definitely was but not for anything he had in the truck. She opened the door enough to stick her head in and glance around. She pulled him through the door once she knew the gym was empty.

"Carol, I ain't suppose to be in here. You know what kind of fit Buck will throw if I get into any more trouble here?"

She pulled him towards the bleachers as he rambled on about Buck chewing him out. He didn't stop talking until she pulled him around the side and slipped under a beam, dragging him under the bleachers with her. It was pretty dim back there but there was plenty of light to see him by. She let go of his hand and made her way under and over the metal poles. He followed until they made it to the corner of the gym where the brick walls met. This part was a lot darker. Someone would have to actually be looking for them under the bleachers to actually be able to spot them.

"What are we doin' under here?" He whispered but she could tell by the timbre of his voice that he knew exactly what she was planning on doing under here.

She let her eyes rake over him slowly. From his dirty work boots, up to his low slung oil stained work jeans, the black tee that fit him snugly, melding to his frame and giving her a clear view the well toned muscles underneath. She could smell the heat of his skin. Again she remembered the way he had looked at her before he had left his room the night before. She never wanted him to look at her like that again. She never wanted to see uncertainty behind his gaze when his eyes were on her. She wanted to be the one thing that he could be sure about.

"Carol?"

She pulled his head down roughly and kissed him hard, catching him off guard. His hands went to her hips, gripping her firmly. The kiss was different than any of the others they had shared. It was rough and demanding. Her hands went to his chest and she pushed him hard, never breaking the kiss. His back hit the wall with a dull thud and he grunted into her mouth before biting down gently on her bottom lip. They were both breathing heavily.

"Where gonna get caught down here," he breathed when she finally left his lips and trailed kisses down his jaw. She shook her head and then ran her hand down his chest, over his stomach and finally over his obvious arousal. She grinned triumphantly against his neck just before her tongue snaked out, licking a wet trail to his adams apple.

"No we won't," she whispered as her greedy fingers started working the button on his jeans.

His fingers tangled into her hair and jerked her head back a little roughly as soon as her hand slipped into his pants and under his boxers, gripping him firmly. He kissed her again, a growl rumbling deep in his chest.

She let him go and started tugging his shirt up frantically. He finally broke away and took it off himself, dropping it to the floor and pulling her to him again.

She met his eyes, reveling in the fact that his were dark with hunger. She smiled at him, adrenalin spiking her blood when she heard the other students entering the room.

"Carol we gotta get the hell out from under here before..." His voice cut off when she shoved him against the wall again. She shook her head.

"Just go with it, Daryl. Let me do this," she whispered.

"Let you do what?"

His eyes went impossibly wide when she dropped to her knees in front of him. She tugged at his jeans until she could free him. She looked up and saw him looking down at her. His expression was a mixture of shock and want and it thrilled her like nothing else ever had before. To think that someone that was so strong and capable was reduced to a panting wide eyed mess because of her.

She could clearly hear the sound of the coach barking out orders to her class. She knew that he could hear them too and his eyes flashed up to scan the immediate area to make sure no one had spotted them. While his eyes were averted she lowered head, using her tongue to taste him.

His eyes shot back down to hers and his shoulders slammed into the bricks again, this time she didn't have to shove him backwards. She was still unsure how to go about doing this. He seemed to really like what she had done the other day so she did just that. She took him into her mouth as far as she could, this time making sure to relax like Andrea had told her to do. She had been embarrassed to have the conversation with the other girl no matter how close they were. But now she was glad she had.

His chest was rising and falling quickly, his gaze studying her intently as his teeth gnawed at his bottom lip. When she felt his hand tangle into her hair guiding her pace she had to squeeze her thighs together. She took him even further into her mouth and she could have sworn that his eyes rolled back into his head. His breath left him in a rush.

Even though she had wanted to take complete control she let him guide her. She wanted to make him feel good and to be honest she kind of needed the guidance. It wasn't like she was overly experienced. She watched his reactions closely with every new thing she did. Her jaws started to ache but she didn't care. She was intent on doing this and the ache was easily ignored.

"Carol..." He whispered, a clear warning in his voice.

She didn't pull away. Instead she quickened her movements, keeping them deep and methodic.

"Jesus Christ, you're really fuckin' good at that. But you need to stop," his voice was strained now and she hummed in the back of her throat.

"Holy fuck," he breathed. She had one hand braced against his hip bone and she felt his body tense. His hand tightened in her hair and his eyes held such an intense look that she couldn't look away from them. She saw his nostrils flare and felt him pulsing around her lips. He growled, his fingers tightening in her hair and then she felt him let go. He shuddered, his head dropping back, hitting the bricks with a dull thump.

She swallowed quickly, reveling in the fact that she had actually been able to bring him to that point. She didn't stop until she was sure that he was completely sated.

The sounds of a basketball bouncing off the floor and sneakers squeaking had her pulling back and glancing over her shoulder. She could actually see the other students clearly but knew they couldn't see her or Daryl.

When she turned her head back around he was fixing his jeans. She stood up, smoothing her skirt back out and making sure she wasn't too dirty from her time spent on the floor. He grabbed his shirt from the floor and pulled it over his head. Once both of their clothes were righted he had her hand and was pulling her to him. She smiled and buried her face in his chest. His heart was thundering under her cheek and she grinned.

His hand ran down her back as his forehead rested on the top of her own. "Where stuck under here till that game is over," he mumbled.

"That took longer than I thought it would. It's probably almost over. Then we can leave," she said quietly.

He laughed lightly and shook his head. "You know if Buck finds out you ditched class he's gonna be pissed."

"He'll get over it." She grinned when his arms tightened around her. His breathing was finally slowing back to normal.

Just like she thought the whistle blew and in a few minutes the bell rang. They waited until the gym was cleared out before they emerged from behind the bleachers, hand in hand. She walked him to the door. "Wait for me. I have to pick up some books."

He nodded and kissed her forehead before pushing through, leaving her alone in the darkened gym, smiling after him.


	22. Chapter 22

**Here's another update for you all. Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter Twenty Two**

Daryl glanced over at Carol as he drove down the street towards the garage. He was grateful that Savannah was so much warmer. It had been warm all week despite the rain. Unseasonably warm, actually. When he had first seen her coming down the hall wearing the dress he had instantly gone speechless. It was a simple white halter dress. The same kind he had seen on plenty of other girls. But she wasn't other girls. She was _his _girl and that made all the difference in the world.

After ogling her all morning he had gotten a little worried. He wasn't the only one that would be impressed with the way the dress hugged her curves before it hit her hips. He wasn't the only one that would be staring at the milky expanse of her neck or her pale slender shoulders with their smattering of freckles. He was used to her wearing jeans and t-shirts. She had glared at Buck when he had dumped the dress into the cart when they had gone shopping so he wasn't sure why she had chosen to wear it on her first day alone at school.

Now she was completely relaxed, the window of the truck rolled down and her feet pulled up and crossed at the ankles on the dash. The skirt wasn't overly short. It stopped a few inches above the knee but when she had kicked off her shoes and put her feet up the skirt had slipped down quite a bit, exposing a lot of her thigh. It was definitely distracting.

"I don't feel like sitting at the shop all day," she said with a sigh.

He glanced over at her again. "What else we gonna do? Got somewhere ya wanna go?"

She shrugged. "Anywhere."

He pulled into the open gates of the biker garage and parked the truck in it's usual spot. He went to grab the handle but he was stopped when she was suddenly straddling his lap. He looked up at her, quirking one brow at her before he scanned the lot for any prying eyes. There were several bikes parked outside but no one was out at the moment. He relaxed and ran his hands up her thighs.

"A white dress is the last thing you need to be wearin' in that dirty ass garage," he said, his voice husky.

She ran her hands up his chest. "I wanted to give you something to think about while you were working all day. I've seen the women around here, Daryl. I wanted to be the only female in your head today. Even if I don't like the dress, I knew you would."

"You wasted your time and wore the dress for nothin' then," he muttered as his eyes landed on her lips. Lips that just a little while ago had been wrapped around his...

"So you didn't think about me today?" She asked, looking genuinely hurt.

He grinned. "Yeah, but usually when I'm thinkin' about you in there I'm thinkin' about you naked. The dress was a waste, but it might come in handy later."

She laughed and finally brought her lips to his. He pulled her closer and felt her hum her approval in the back of her throat. It didn't matter what had just happened in the gym. The feel of her pressed against him with barely anything between them had him growing hard again. She deepened the kiss, cupping his face in her hands as his own slid around her hips, gripping her hard. His hands had slid up the dress and were now only separated from her bare skin by the silk of her underwear.

When she pulled her face away from his her eyes were bright despite the gray day. She grinned at him. "You think Buck would let us go on a walk or something?" She asked.

He frowned, thinking of a lot of different things he would rather do with her than go on a damn walk. And the shop wasn't in the tourists part of town. It was in a much seedier part, tucked away on a back street with other places that were less than ideal. This was the part of Savannah that a person would never read about in any brochures. "I don't know. Depends on whether or not he knows you ditched class."

Unfortunately for him she crawled off of him and climbed out of the truck, throwing a grin over her shoulder as she walked towards the doors. He growled and got out, adjusting his pants before he followed her inside.

It was dim and loud. In the front of the shop was a bar of sorts for members of the club and even this early in the day the sound of drunken laughter and music drifted all the way to the back where Merle and Buck were working on a bike. Andrea was sitting at the old beat up desk in the corner with her face shoved into a book.

Buck raised his head and smiled when he saw them. He raised up to his full height and put his hands on his hips. "You're late, boy. Thought you were gonna come back here and wait out her last class?"

Carol shrugged and answered before Daryl could. "I ditched my last class so Daryl and I could mess around behind the bleachers in the gym. Can we go on a walk?"

Merle's laugh was loud enough so no one heard Daryl's tortured groan. Why did she do this to him?

Buck's smile faded and his eyes narrowed. "Now why the hell would I let you run off to get into God only knows what when you just stood here and told me that?"

"Because I'm being mature and honest with you. I'm tired of this shop and I'm tired of sitting at home all the time. You can let us go or I'll go distraught teenager on you and eventually run away because you are being a complete tyrant. You're a control freak, Buck Dixon."

Buck glared at Merle over his shoulder. He was still laughing at Carol's antics but he should have been used to them by now. Everyone else seemed to be. When he looked back at Daryl his eyes narrowed. "If your mama shows her face..."

"Then I'll get Carol away from her before she gets assault charges on her. I already know Buck," Daryl said, not believing that Buck was going to let them go this easily.

He sighed and then nodded. "All right then. Just be back here before we close up shop. I ain't huntin' for the two of you. I'll make you walk home first."

Daryl was pulling Carol towards the door before Buck even finished but Carol stopped. "Andrea, you wanna come with us?" She asked and even Daryl could tell that her voice was hopeful.

Andrea looked up from her book and smiled serenely. "I'm good. You two have a good time though."

Carol's smile faltered but she nodded before following Daryl out into the gloomy day. He watched her as they rounded the corner. "You miss her, don't you?"

She glanced up at him and shrugged lightly. "I do. It was just the two of us for so long that I'm still getting used to her having a life now. It isn't just about me and her anymore. It's about you and Merle too."

He felt his heart pick up slightly. "That a bad thing?" He asked, hoping that she didn't confirm his fears.

She squeezed his hand and moved closer so she was burrowed into his side. "Definitely not a bad thing. But I do miss her."

He held back a smile and they walked on in silence for a while. "Where the hell ya wanna go?" He finally asked. They were still on the back streets, not bothering with visiting the nicer part of the city.

"It doesn't matter. I'm hungry. You know of any places around here to eat?"

He flushed slightly. "I brought you lunch. You're the one that decided not to eat it."

She laughed softly. "It was worth it," she said in a sultry voice that had him actually believing that she meant it.

He saw a sign for a diner nestled into the corner of a building and started pulling her towards it. He was tired of eating at places like this but there wasn't many more options. The bell rang above the door when they went in and a few unsavory looking people glanced up at them from the booths. There was a girl behind the counter that looked bored out of her mind.

"You sure you wanna eat here?" Daryl grumbled into her ear. It didn't look like the cleanest place in the world but they had both eaten worse things he was sure.

She just shrugged and walked up to the counter, taking a seat at one of the swiveling stools there. The girl looked up and gave them a forced smile.

"What can I get you two?" She asked blandly.

"Hi..." Carol leaned in and read the girl's name tag, "Beth. Just two burgers and two Cokes, please."

Daryl huffed. He had actually eaten his lunch so he wasn't even hungry but he didn't say anything. He just watched as the girl wrote their order on a ticket and clipped it to a clothes pin in front of the fry cook.

The cook turned from the grill and looked at them from over his shoulder. He had one hell of an impressive afro that was barely concealed under a hair net. He flashed them a grin before turning back to his work.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before they heard the bell on the door jingle. Normally he would have ignored it but for some strange reason the hair on the back of his neck stood on end and he was filled with a strange sense of dread. He stiffened and Carol must have sensed it because she looked up quickly, searching his eyes and then looking behind them to whoever had come into the diner. She looked back at him questioningly.

He didn't turn his head to look at the newcomers. He turned his whole body instead, not feeling comfortable leaving his back exposed to whoever was behind him. His teeth clenched together with an audible snap and his breath left him in an angry rush.

There she stood, smiling like the devil that she was. She looked the same. Just like she had the night that he had left that house with his brother, only more sober and dressed much better. Beside her, to his astonishment, was the very man that he had stolen five hundred dollars from on the night that he had escaped.

He felt Carol's hand on his bicep and hadn't even noticed that he had stood up from the stool. He was taller than his mom now. He towered over her but she didn't seem to feel the need to be intimidated. She didn't look old enough to have two grown sons. She was pushing forty but could have passed for a thirty year old any day. Maybe that was why Carol hadn't attacked her yet. He took a step forward and pulled Carol behind him.

"What the hell do you think your tryin' to pull?" He snapped and was proud of himself for sounding as fierce as he did. In all honesty all he could think about at the moment was the man hitting him while his mother stood back and watched. She had eventually taken her turn. He shook the memories, or tried too. He wasn't that boy anymore.

Jenna smiled and gave a delicate shrug. "Can you fault a mother for wanting to see her baby boy?"

"You stay the hell away from him," Carol growled as she came out from behind him. He grabbed her just in time, yanking her back into him and holding her firmly around the waist.

Jenna studied her, a slow smile spreading over her face. "Isn't this cute. You have a little girlfriend. I'm guessing she's the one that's actually living with you out at Buck's grandfather's place? I've heard about her and the slutty blonde that's with your brother."

"You need to go. Now," Daryl growled as he tried to hold on to Carol who was hell bent on getting her hands on Jenna.

"You don't tell me what to do," Jenna snapped and Daryl finally saw that familiar glint in her eyes. That unhinged look. She wasn't as put together as she tried to seem.

"He'll tell you any goddamn thing he wants you psychotic bitch!" Carol yelled.

Jenna's eyes slid back to her, narrowing. It was then the man stepped forward. "You owe me money you little shit," the guy snapped, even though Daryl was bigger than him. He couldn't believe the guy had stayed with Jenna. He couldn't imagine why in the hell he would have done something like that.

"We don't put up with trouble in here. If y'all are plannin' on startin' somethin' I'll have to ask you to leave," the dull voice of the waitress drifted over to them.

Daryl glanced over his shoulder and the girl was leaning against the counter with her chin resting on her palm. He was pretty sure she was mentally handicapped so he didn't say anything to her. He turned his head sharply back towards Jenna and her boyfriend.

"You want your money? There's a garage about four blocks down. Go there and let Buck Dixon know who you are and how much you need. He'll give you what you got comin' to ya," Daryl grinned. "If not then you heard the girl, take your trouble and hit the road."

"I'll hit the road as soon as I get my damn money," the guy snapped. It was then that Daryl realized that he didn't even know the guys name.

"Fuck you, I already told you where you could get it," Daryl growled.

The man clenched his fists at his sides and then took a menacing step forward. Daryl let go of Carol, shoving her behind him roughly and was just about to lay into the guy when suddenly his path was blocked. By the fry cook.

"The man here told ya where to go. You two need to hit the door. We don't want any trouble in here," he said menacingly. Daryl was torn. He didn't know whether to be impressed with the guy or pissed off that he had gotten in the way of him finally paying some retribution to the man that had beat him half stupid.

Jenna simply nodded and looked around the guy. "I'll be seeing you around, sweetheart. You can bet on that."

"Go to hell you crazy bitch!" Carol shrieked right as she made another jump for the woman.

He grabbed her again, pulling her back into his chest. He didn't have time to sort out his own swirling emotions because he had to keep her from ripping Jenna's head off. He was glad for it. He didn't want to have to think about what just happened. He should have listened to Buck. She would have never come near him if Buck was anywhere nearby.

"Calm your ass down, Carol," he whispered into her ear as she struggled against him.

She did as he said, leaning into him and covering his hands that were bound around her waist.

The fry cook turned around once Jenna and the man were out the door. He nodded towards the counter. "Order up," he said and then rewarded them with a gap toothed grin. "I'll be in the back if y'all need anything. Beth there will give me a holler."

"Thank you," Carol said, clearly more calm. "Sorry about that, sir."

The man scoffed and waved her off. "No need in thankin' me. It's my job to cook food and keep the peace. And it ain't sir either. I'm only nineteen. No need in aging me before my time. The names Theodore. Theodore Douglas. T-dog to my friends."

"Nice to meet you," Carol said quietly as she took her seat and picked up her burger, still looking like she could take on the world.

Daryl shook his head and sat beside her. He refused to think about what just happened. He knew that he would have plenty of time to think about it later. He had a feeling it was going to be a really long night.

**More familiar faces are going to be popping up. I don't want anyone to do to much worrying about Daryl. I think he has his hands so full of combative Carol that he really doesn't have time to get too damaged by all of this. I hope you liked this chapter because it was really fun for me to write! I love writing for this story! **


	23. Chapter 23

**I am happy to say that I am totally over the writers block. As a matter of fact I am so far over it that I am now 13 chapters ahead for this story. I wrote six chapters just last night. I love it that much. I can't stop. That doesn't mean that I have forgotten about Black Moon Blues. I'll be updating that one tomorrow night. Thank you all for reading! **

**Chapter Twenty Three**

If someone had asked Carol a year ago if she would ever have to be restrained from actually starting a fight, she would have laughed in their face. It just wasn't her. She would fight to protect herself, sure, but she had never in her life acted this way. She kept glancing at Daryl as he chewed his food thoughtfully and that's when she realized it. Just like the night before when she had punched that lady in the face. It wasn't her. It was Daryl.

Well, not Daryl really. It was the thought of someone hurting him and it didn't make a damn bit of sense. He was bigger than her and stronger than her and much more capable of protecting himself than she was. But that hadn't mattered. She had seen a threat and the only thing she could think about was to eliminate the threat. The threat to him.

She chewed her burger without really tasting it and before she realized it she had eaten the whole damn thing. The next time she cut her eyes to him he was looking at her. He still looked pretty calm and she couldn't imagine how. The way he had been when she had first met him, that was all because of that dreadful bitch of a woman. He had shied away from even speaking of her and now he had just seen her. He had just had to listen to her not so subtle threats. And who was that man? What had he been talking about?

"You ready?" He asked a bit gruffly.

She nodded and stood up lacing her fingers through his. She was a little bit worried. What if the man and that bitch of a woman stopped and tried something? She almost wished that she could call Buck at the shop but she knew Daryl wouldn't go for that. Once they were outside a gust of wind hit them and she had to use both hands to keep the dress from flying up and showing the world her underpants.

She looked up when she heard his low chuckle.

"I'm glad you can find some humor in this," she muttered as they started walking.

He pulled her into the doorway of another building and put his hands on her shoulders. The way he was looking at her had her going very still. "Buck don't need to know what happened back there."

She frowned. "What the hell are you talking about? She threatened you. That man threatened you! Buck needs to know about this, Daryl!"

He shook his head and the grip he had on her shoulders tightened. He wasn't hurting her but he definitely had her attention. "If he finds out about this he's gonna hit the roof. He's gonna hunt them both down and by the time he's done with them we won't ever see him again. This last time he was locked up for eight years and that wasn't the first time he's been to prison. If he does something stupid because of this he won't get out."

She scowled. "So she can just run around and make threats and we can't do anything about it? Daryl, we can't do that." But they were going too. She already seen it in his eyes that that was exactly what he was going to do.

"I'll think of somethin'. I ain't losin' my dad again. Not because of her. If he gets put away then she wins."

Carol felt sick to her stomach. An ear piercing crack of thunder split the skies and had her nearly jumping into his arms. The clouds let loose with a torrent just then and had they not been under the small awning they would have been drenched as though buckets had been dumped on their heads.

"You picked one hell of a day to wear that damn dress, Carol," he grumbled as he looked out at the deluge.

She looked down. If she went out in that then she may as well strip down now and walk back to the shop completely naked. It was strapless so she hadn't even worn a bra. She groaned and leaned against the wall, watching the rain.

"Sign says open," Daryl said as he looked at the door. It was nothing but a plain slab of wood. She didn't remember seeing any advertisement signs before he had pulled her towards it either. She thought it may have been an apartment or something.

"What is it though?" She asked, meeting his eye.

He shrugged. "I don't have a clue but it's probably a lot more dry than it is out here. Wanna check it out?"

She shook her head. "No I don't want to check it out. We don't know what's in there," she hissed.

He rolled his eyes and tried the knob. It was unlocked.

"Daryl, we aren't going in there," she went to grab his arm but he was faster than her. He pushed the door open and stepped inside, grabbing her hand and pulling her in after him. She wanted to smack him for dragging her inside a building that they knew nothing about. Apparently he hadn't learned the same lessons she had on the streets.

It took her a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the room they were now standing in. The lights were dim and the air was heavy with some sort of smoke. The smell was strange. A combination of burning sage, incense, and pot. Sconces bolted into the wall held candles that flickered causing shadows to dance across the shelves that held items that she couldn't readily identify. They were standing in the middle of a long isle with low shelves on either side of them. Directly in front of them was a long counter with more shelves lining the wall behind it and a doorway covered by a beaded curtain.

"What the fuck is this place?" Daryl whispered.

The sound of Blues music floated through the room. "I don't know," Carol whispered back as she glanced around the room. She took a few steps further down the isle but Daryl stopped her when his hand tightened on hers and refused to budge. She turned around, eying him quizzically. "Daryl, you're the one that wanted to come in here."

"This place gives me the fuckin' creeps," he said in a much louder voice that seemed to be louder than it was just because of the quiet ambiance of the room.

"Ahh. As this place should, sweet boy," a quiet voice floated up from behind them, causing them both to jump and then turn at the sound of the voice.

A slender woman with dark skin stood before them. She wore a shapeless dress with geometric designs sewn in at random and a brilliant red scarf wrapped around her head. Gold jewelry glittered in the dim light. Large hoop earrings dangled to her slim shoulders and bracelets adorned her wrists. Her eyes studied them for a long time, pinning them both in place with the intensity of her dark gaze. She seemed to be searching for something. She blinked and then a slow smile spread over her face, wiping the traces of a frown that had been pulling her features down. "I'm Jacqui," she said suddenly, her voice kind. "What can I do for the two of you?"

Daryl and Carol shared a look before their eyes went back to the woman. It was Daryl who spoke first. "What the hell is this place?" He asked finally.

Jacqui brushed past them, and motioned for them to follow her further into the room. She went around the counter and stood there, waiting for them to follow. Eventually they did. Carol wasn't sure what the pull was. They very well could have walked right back out the door and even though it would have been rude, it would have been the better idea. She wasn't sure what was going on but for some reason she felt strange about this place.

"This place," Jacqui gave them that kind smile again that instantly put Carol at ease and then gestured around the room with her arms, "Is where people end up when they need answers that they don't even know the questions to."

"Well that don't make no goddamn sense," Daryl scoffed. "You're one of them mumbo jumbo shit talkin' fortune tellers ain't ya? Your kind has been makin' your way north of the Delta for years now fillin' people's heads with bullshit."

Jacqui's smile grew more wide and she tapped her nails against the dark wood of the counter. "Mr. Dixon. I assure you that I do no dabbling in any sort of mumbo jumbo. I didn't seek you out. You showed up here."

"We showed up here cause it's a comin' a flood, Esmerelda. We didn't seek you out for..."

Carol realized at the same time Daryl did. They had never mentioned their names to this woman but she had said his name plain as day.

"... How the hell did you know my name?" He asked, managing to sound angry and spooked at the same time.

She shrugged. "Sometimes people know things."

"Bullshit," he growled.

"Daryl," Carol said in a quiet but firm voice, "We did show up here. Stop being so rude," she admonished.

Daryl blew out a heavy breath and met her eyes. Carol wasn't sure why but she was starting to feel very relaxed here. Jacqui was odd, sure, but she didn't seem dangerous. Carol looked up at the woman, who was studying her once more. "So, if you aren't a fortune teller then what are you? What is this place?"

"I don't like the term fortune teller. It brings to mind phonies who fill people's heads with this mumbo jumbo that your man speaks of. As for your question, I'm a lot of things."

"Like a crook?" Daryl deadpanned.

Carol elbowed him in the ribs. She didn't really believe in all this mystical stuff either but she had been very nice to them even though he had said some pretty mean things to her. The least he could do was be polite.

Jacqui sighed and then nodded towards the room hidden away behind the bead door. "I can assure you, I am not a crook. People pay me for my services, sure, but no one leaves this place without a bit of new truth tucked in their pockets."

Daryl grunted. "You can fool some folks lady. You ain't foolin' us."

"Shut up, Daryl," Carol whispered as she looked around at all of the things on the shelves. There were dried herbs and candles and she could have sworn that right behind the woman was a real human skull but it could have been a replica. There were also books and vials and dried flowers and jars of liquid.

Jacqui's dark eyes landed on her and she smiled. "I would like to read for you. Both of you. It isn't everyday a woman gets to observe two Scorpios in the same house. Especially two such as yourselves."

"Read?" Carol asked curiously.

Jacqui nodded and then motioned for them to follow her. Carol took a step around the counter before Daryl stopped her. Jacqui disappeared through the beaded door.

"Carol, we should get the hell outta here. You don't believe in any of this shit, do you?"

She glanced up at him. "How did she know your name?"

With a groan he let her take his hand and followed her through the curtain.

**And now there is Jacqui! I had to include her cause I liked her a lot. She was sweet. And I already know that the little shop she has is cheesy and cliche. It's why I love it. Have any of you actually been in one of those places? They are so awesome! **


	24. Chapter 24

**Sorry for the delay! The only reason I am able to post for this at all is because I already have so many chapters written and stored in my Doc Manager. My computer shut down completely. I am taking it to get fixed tomorrow and all I can do is hope that a quick fix is all it needs. If not then Black Moon Blues won't be updated until I get my own computer back. I'm really sorry about that! I have to borrow computers just to update for this. lol Thank you to everyone that is still reading! Oh, and if this is riddled with typos it isn't my fault. I am posting it raw because I can't really go over it! I hope it isn't too bad!**

**Chapter 24**

Daryl wanted more than anything to get the fuck out of that room. He didn't think that he had ever seen anything more creepy in his life. He wasn't a religious person by any means. Him and God hadn't really been on speaking terms throughout his life, but this shit seemed down right Satanic. And he thought the front of the place was bad. That was nothing.

The room was darker than the front room they had been in. The walls were paneled in a dark wood, almost black, with strange designs painted everywhere. There was a round table with some kind of purple velvet cloth draped over it. In the center of the cloth there was a star with a circle around it in white. A lone candle sat off to the side in a fat silver candle holder. Jacqui picked up the candle and then removed the cloth, folding it carefully and pulling out a box shaped like a treasure chest to deposit it in once she had it folded just right.

The room smelled musty, like old books and dust. He wanted to sneeze but fought it off. More shelves adorned these walls along with a few strange paintings. He stopped focusing on the things and started focusing on breathing.

"Ain't you got a crystal ball or somethin'?" He asked, just to break the silence that seemed to pound against his ear drums.

Jacqui smiled and shook her head. "I have plenty of crystals but no ball. I'm going to do a tarot reading. No balls needed for that."

He couldn't help it. There was just enough Merle in him to make that funny and he snickered quietly. Carol looked over at him, her expression severe and his laugh dried up. He rolled his eyes at her. She must have really been into this shit.

"What's a tarot reading?" Carol asked.

Jacqui motioned for them to sit and so they did. Man, if Buck and Merle could see them now. They would haul them both out of this place by their ears. "Cards," Jaqcui said in a quiet voice that sent another bout of chills up Daryl's spine as she started shuffling a deck of seemingly innocent looking cards. "These cards are a little newer than the ones I used to use. But they've served me nicely over the past twenty seven years."

Newer? Daryl shook his head. This woman was bat shit crazy. He wished Carol would get the hint so they could get the hell out of here. "So, you gonna tell me you can see the future in these cards of yours, Esmerelda?"

She sat the cards down in front of her and her eyes landed on Carol first. A small crease formed between her eyebrows right before her eyes cut over to him. The candle flickered, casting shadows behind the woman. "Cut the deck Mr. Dixon," she instructed, ignoring his snarky question.

He glanced at Carol but she was staring at the cards. He cut them but she motioned for him to do it once more until there were three stacks. She picked them up quickly and let her fingers slide over them deftly, almost lovingly.

Jacqui met his eyes over the candle and the turned the first card over. She didn't look at the card but she frowned deeply. He wanted to look at the card but he couldn't look away from her eyes. He was good at reading people and in those dark depths he saw sympathy and sadness. Her gaze didn't waver. His didn't either. He didn't feel spooked anymore. He almost felt as calm as he did on those long trips that him and Carol used to take in the woods.

"You've overcome much," she whispered in a voice that he had to strain to hear.

He was finally able to tear his eyes away from hers and glance down at the card lying face up on the table in front of her. He narrowed his eyes. The picture depicted a man lying face down on the ground. Darkness surrounded him and driven into his back were ten swords.

"Unlucky boy you were, I see," she said.

He kept staring at the card and he could have sworn that the scars on his back started itching.

"This card," she pointed one long finger at it. "This represents your past. I gather I don't need to elaborate."

He shook his head and finally met her eyes again just as she turned over another card. He watched as a small smile brightened her face. Shadows danced behind her. He looked at the card in front of her. It was a cup, overflowing with water surrounded by flowers. There was a sun above the cup. When he looked back at Jacqui she was watching him.

"You are a complicated boy, aren't you? You've been given a gift recently. Now I see why you were able to overcome so much of your past. You're holding everything that you ever dreamed of having right in the palm of your hand, sealing those old wounds and bringing you much joy. It's rare to see the unluckiest and the luckiest drawn in one reading. I knew I would enjoy this."

He felt a little bit of that earlier tranquility slip. How could she know all of that just by looking at a couple of old creepy ass cards?

Without warning she turned over another one. He looked down and saw a woman with what looked like a halo over her head sitting in an elaborate chair. His blood ran a little colder in his veins when he realized that the woman had her hand placed upon her swollen belly. She was obviously pregnant. This card was upside down.

The look on Jacqui's face was drawn, almost angry as she looked down at the card.

Carol cleared her throat. Amazingly, he had almost forgotten that she was sitting right next to him. "What does it mean when it's upside down like that?"

Jacqui looked up and to his amazement she reached across the table and took his hand. He didn't jerk it back or flinch away. He simply sat and stared into her worried eyes. "You need to be careful, sweetheart. The Empress," she thrusted her finger towards the card, "Is not someone to be taken lightly on a good day but the meaning gets more twisted when the card is inverted like this. Every decision you make from here on out needs to be as calculated as hers. If not, she's going to take it all."

Daryl snatched his hand away from hers and stood up, his heart hammering erratically in his chest. This woman didn't know what the hell she was talking about. It was all a bunch of bullshit.

Carol stood up with him. "Daryl..."

"We're leavin'. Now," he snapped and then grabbed her hand. She let him have it willingly enough. Jacqui stood up too and shook her head sadly.

"When you come back I'll read for you, child," she said to Carol.

Carol nodded as Daryl pulled her towards the bead door and around the counter.

"Won't be back, lady. Had enough of this creepy shit to last a lifetime," he muttered. He didn't look back but he did hear the woman chuckle quietly, like she knew they would be back. He'd be damned.

The rain had stopped and he couldn't help the relief that washed over him. Rain or no rain they were leaving. He knew that Carol was holding back, casting quick glances to try to gauge his mood but he kept his face neutral as they hurried towards the garage. He still felt weird about that place and that woman.

"Daryl?" She asked, her voice almost strained.

"What?" He couldn't school his voice as well as he could his features and she scowled at his tone.

"I think we should tell Buck about earlier. He can help and you heard what Jacqui said. You know that all of that was real. She knew too much."

He stopped and grabbed her by the arm, halting her. "That woman was full of shit!" He hissed.

Carol jerked her arm away from him and glared. "Buck can help us. You're being a real jerk, you know that?"

He blew out a frustrated breath and ran his hands through his hair. "We can't tell him. I ain't riskin' him goin' back to prison."

"But you heard what Jacqui said. This is serious!"

He was having a hard time keeping his shit together and they were already almost to the garage. "Carol, you can't tell him. You don't know him like I do. Just let this go. You really think I'm gonna listen to some fuckin' Voodoo bullshit? We ain't little kids, Carol. Magic ain't real."

She glared at him for a few long moments and then finally rolled her eyes. "Fine. I won't say anything. Even if we did just get a warning that the crazy bitch was going to destroy everything we have."

She went to storm away but he grabbed her arm again, pulling her back so hard that she slammed into his chest. He needed her to understand what he was trying to say. He didn't want her being mad at him but he had his family to think about. He wouldn't admit that what that crazy woman had told them had scared the shit out of him.

She stared up at him expectantly and he was relieved when he felt her body relax against his.

"I can't lose my dad again, alright. I need him," he declared in a quiet voice.

Her eyes softened and she reached up, kissing him lightly on the lips before smiling slightly. She nodded and then grabbed his hand. He hadn't expected her to give in so easily but he would take it.


	25. Chapter 25

**I'm glad you were all happy to see Jacqui! I always did like her. There is a lot more familiar faces to come. The computer place said that my computer is getting sent out on Tuesday and it will most likely take them a week to get it back to me. Whatever was wrong with it must have been super major. I don't talk computer so don't even ask me. I have no idea. Anyway, thanks for the love! Hope you all enjoy this one! It made me laugh when I wrote it. **

**Chapter 25**

Carol was worried. She knew that he really did believe what the woman had said about the cards, about his mother. But he refused to talk about it. Instead, after they did get home, he went out to the garage, the older one that was attached to the house, and started cleaning. Cleaning! She was shocked but then he told her that there was an old sofa under some of the junk and boxes and he wanted to clean it all out so they would have somewhere to hang out as soon as the dust settled and Buck let them stay home again.

She helped him and didn't bother mentioning that things weren't going to settle until they figured out something to do about his mother. He already knew and it wasn't going to do either of them a bit of good to fight about it.

"Might be able to pick up a second hand T.V. Grab some old chairs and stuff from the newer garage. Buck won't mind," he said as they hauled boxes of junk up to the attic space above the garage.

"Sounds good. But can't we just hang out in the living room? It doesn't need cleaned up," she wiped sweat off her brow before grabbing another box to hand him.

He looked down at her from his spot halfway up the ladder. "What about when you start makin' friends and shit and wanna hang out somewhere when they stop by?"

She scoffed. "I don't need friends. I have you."

He chuckled, shaking his head. They worked in silence for a while after that until Buck came out to see what kind of progress they made.

"You two worked your asses off but wouldn't it be smarter just to hang out in the house, though? Not that I'm bitchin' that you volunteered to straighten this shit up. Just don't make much sense to me is all."

Daryl gave him the same shrug he had given her.

"Well, wrap it up, you two. It's goin' on midnight and we all got an early day. Merle and Andrea went to bed hours ago."

Daryl laughed. "I'm sure they did but you can bet your ass they ain't asleep."

Buck grimaced. "Shut it, kid."

~H~

Carol listened to his deep even breathing. He had been asleep for quite a while now, worn out from all of the work they had done in the garage. She was worn out herself but she couldn't sleep. Every time she tried she would see Jacqui's worried eyes in her mind or the leering face of Daryl's mom. She knew what she had said to him about not telling anyone but she couldn't let this go. She had been arguing with herself for hours and now it was time to do something. She had too.

She slowly slipped out from under his arm. If he woke up while she was getting up she would claim to be going to the bathroom. She hoped he slept through it though. She hated lying to him but didn't feel as though she had a choice.

Luck was with her and when she finally found herself standing beside the bed, looking down on his sleeping form she felt a painful stab of guilt pierce her chest. He told her that he couldn't lose his father again and she was almost certain that, no matter what, Buck would make sure that didn't happen. He wasn't going to lose his father but she couldn't shake the feeling that if she didn't do something, anything, then she was going to lose Daryl and that was something that she refused to let happen.

She slipped out of their room barefoot and padded down the hallway quietly. She hesitated outside of Buck's room, unsure how to proceed. She hadn't ever had a reason to seek Buck out before now. She didn't want to just barge into his room but she didn't want to risk waking up the others by knocking on his door.

She put her ear to the wood and heard nothing but silence. She cracked the door open a little and was surprised to see a dim light from inside the room. She pushed the door a little wider and poked her head inside. Buck was sitting up, his back to the headboard, reading. He had glasses on, which was just weird, but the rest of him was intimidating as ever. She almost shut the door and slunk back to bed but he looked up in surprise and plucked the glasses off like he'd been caught doing something dirty.

"Carol?" He seemed to be more than surprised.

She took a deep steadying breath and went inside, shutting the door behind her. His eyes widened and gave her a once over before settling on her face worriedly. He had the sheets pulled over his waist but his chest was bare and she couldn't stop looking at him. It wasn't that she was attracted to him but she hadn't ever seen him without a shirt on before and the size of him was a hard thing to ignore. His chest was huge and he looked like he was made out of a slab of granite.

"Somethin'... wrong? Daryl alright?" He asked as he tossed the book onto the nightstand and shifted uneasily.

She shook her head, not sure what to say to him. She wasn't afraid of him but she hadn't ever been alone with him before, in a room behind a closed door and as she stared at him she was starting to get more and more uneasy.

"Umm... Look, darlin'. I ain't too sure what's on your mind but..."

"I wanted to talk," she said quickly, her voice cracking.

He frowned and ran a hand through his long hair before glancing behind her towards the door. "Usually when a female comes into a man's bedroom in the middle of the night to talk, they make sure they got a few more clothes on than what you're wearin'," he gave her a pointed look.

She gasped and looked down at herself. Her t-shirt was just a little higher than mid thigh. Sure he'd seen her in less but that had been different. He was in bed! Maybe he slept in the buff and there she was standing in his room in the middle of the night with barely anything on! "Oh my God!" She hissed.

"Look, let's just forget all about it. Go on back to bed and we can just pretend like nothin' ever happened. Cause nothin' is gonna happen... not that I don't think you're a damn fine lookin' girl but...um... you ain't really my type darlin' and I think Daryl would prolly stab me in the dick if..."

"Buck, stop it!" She wanted to yell but she couldn't without waking the whole house up. She felt disgusting just thinking that he thought that maybe she was in here for_ that_! "Something happened today and I want to talk. Just talk. I need to tell you something. Are you... are you naked?"

He blew out a relieved breath and chuckled. "It's my damn bed. I can be naked if I want."

"Oh, gross..."

"Hey, sassy ass. You're the one that came in here. Don't bitch cause I like to go commando in my own room!"

She wrung her hands in front of her and Buck's smile grew a little softer. "Just spill it, girl. It's alright. You and Daryl have yourselves a spat or somethin'? Y'all seemed a little bit tense when ya got back to the shop. Is that what's eaten ya?"

She shook her head, feeling a little more calm about being in here. "His mama came into the diner we were at this afternoon. She brought a man with her and he hasn't said anything but I know it's the same man from that night. She threatened him," she said the words quickly and flinched as Buck's face went from calm and fatherly to murderous in a seconds.

"Turn around," he said from between clenched teeth.

She didn't ask why, she simply obeyed. She could hear him behind her, most likely pulling on some clothes.

When she felt his hands on her shoulders she tensed and spun around, not liking the contact.

He held up his hands in surrender, "Baby girl, you gotta stop actin' like I'd ever hurt you, alright? You ain't gotta flinch like that. You and Andrea is just as much my kin as my boys. Now," he reached for her hand, knowing she was sure to bolt if he made one wrong move, "Sit your ass down and tell me what the fuck happened."

She nodded and noted that he was now wearing jeans, even if his torso was still bare. She sat down on the edge of the bed and then almost cried out when she sank down and then seemed to sway there for a few seconds before she stood up quickly, turning around and staring at the mattress that was now rolling all on its own. "What the hell is wrong with your bed?" She asked, eyes wide.

Buck's lips twitched like he wanted to laugh at her but he wasn't in the mood. "It's a waterbed," he stated like she should have known that.

"A what?" She stared at it until it stilled.

"It's a bed that's full of water. Water bed," he said dryly. "Now will you just sit down and tell me what the hell is goin' on? When did you see her and why am I just now hearin' about it?"

Carol frowned and then took both hands and pushed down on the mattress, causing it to roll some more. "This is so cool, Buck!" She pushed on it again and then couldn't help herself. She crawled all the way to the middle of the bed and bounced slightly.

Buck crossed his arms, shooting her a look that had the goofy grin dropping from her lips. She settled down onto her knees and took a deep breath. "Well, just like I told you. She showed up at the diner where we were eating lunch and..."

"Daryl brought you lunch," Buck interrupted with a frown.

Carol felt her cheeks flush. "Well, yeah, but I already told you that I didn't eat lunch."

"So you were serious? You skipped class?" Now he looked more exasperated than angry.

"It was gym class! It doesn't even count," she explained with a shrug. "Anyway, we were in there waiting on our food and she showed up with that man. I tried to go after, Buck, I swear but he held me back."

Again his lips twitched as he shook his head at her. "How'd he take it?"

She shrugged. "Like a champ. He was too busy getting in my way to even pay her too much attention. The fry cook kicked her and the man out and we didn't see them anymore. But that isn't all..." she hesitated, not sure whether telling him about the tarot cards and all of the stuff that Jacqui had told them was a good idea or not.

"Go on, girl," he urged as his arms crossed in front of him.

She sighed heavily, wondering if telling him anything at all, and betraying Daryl, was really worth it. Too late now. "Well, when we left we ended up in this... place. Down the street from the diner. We were just trying to get out of the rain. It was some kind of fortune teller or something and she took us back into this creepy room and she knew Daryl's name and everything and..."

"Slow down and breath, darlin. Goddamn," Buck advised as he sat down on the bed, causing the waves to bounce her slightly. He put his back to the headboard and motioned for her to go on as he crossed his long legs at the ankles.

"Well, like I said, she was this... witch, or something. She had these cards and she knew everything! She knew about what his mom did to him and she knew about me and Andrea showing up but then she told him..."

"Told him what?" Buck urged, his voice low and dangerous.

"She told him that if he wasn't careful then his mom would cause him to lose everything. She'd take it all away from him."

"Jacqui Bogan," he said under his breath and stared off at the wall directly in front of him.

Carol nodded. "She didn't say her last name but her first name was Jacqui. Do you know her?"

Buck nodded and folded his hands over his stomach. "Went to school with her younger brother. She's the real deal. Normally I'd tell ya to keep away from bullshit like that but that woman... Well, if she sees it comin' then it's comin'." His voice was grim and it only spiked Carol's anxiety.

"Buck, he didn't want me to tell you. He said that you'd do something and then he'd lose you again. Can we just keep this between us? Please? And can you please not do anything that will get you sent back to prison?" She scooted a little closer to him. "Please. He needs you around. We all do."

He looked at her then, a soft smile gracing his lips. "I'm gonna do somethin' about this, baby girl. But I ain't gonna be stupid about it, alright? I ain't goin' no where."

She nodded and then, to his surprise and hers, she hugged him. It was an awkward hug since he only had one arm wrapped around her while hers were wrapped firmly around his neck, but it felt good. She felt safe. She heard him chuckle into her neck and she realized that he was probably just as surprised as she was at her show of affection.

She was about to pull away when she heard the door open.

"Hey, Buck... What. The. Fuck..."

Carol pulled away from Buck and looked up sharply. Merle was standing in the doorway, his face growing pale at the sight before him. He looked at her, his eyes widening and then at Buck. Carol realized then what this looked like.

Merle shut the door and walked to the middle of the room. "Either one of you mind tellin' me what the fuck is goin' on in here? Why's Carol in your bed, half naked, in the middle of the goddamn night?"

Carol scrambled away from Buck and off the bed. "It's not what it looks like, Merle!"

He crossed his arms over his chest, not even looking at her but glaring at his father. "Buck?"

Buck swung his legs over and sat there on the edge of the bed. "Wipe that look off your face ya little pervert. Somethin' happened today and she was fillin' me in on it. Think you best sit down for this one."

Merle's gaze shifted to Carol who was now standing there, hoping that lightning would strike her dead. He blew out a breath and his face cleared, thankfully deciding that he walked in on something innocent enough. Thank God.

"What happened?" Merle asked as he pulled up a chair that was sitting in the corner of the room that Carol hadn't even noticed.

"Jenna showed up today hasslin' your brother. She had a man with her that Daryl seemed to recognize. We gotta handle this. Me and you. And we can't let him know about any of it."

Carol had been afraid of the look that had come over Buck's face at the mention of their mother. But that was nothing compared to Merle's. His nostrils flared and his eyes flicked back to Carol. "Tell me everything," he growled.

Carol took a step away, her back hitting the wall as she studied the murder in Merle's eyes. She hoped she hadn't just made a mistake bringing this to Buck. If Daryl lost them because of her he would never forgive her. And she would never forgive herself.


	26. Chapter 26

**I am excited about this chapter! I hope you guys like reading it as much as I liked writing it! I want to write more stories that take place in the 70's, damn it! It's fun! Thanks for reading! **

**Chapter 26**

Daryl chewed at his thumbnail and glanced again at the clock on the wall. He still had hours before he had to go pick Carol up and right now there wasn't a damn thing in the shop he could do other than stand around. Buck and Merle were in a hell of a bad mood and he was steering clear of them.

"Could this place be anymore lame?" Andrea asked as she put a book mark between the pages of the book she had been reading. She sighed and rested her head on the back of the desk chair. "What are the chances of them letting us out of here?"

Daryl glanced towards Merle and Buck where they were chatting with a few of the bikers. "He let me and Carol go yesterday. Wouldn't hurt to give it a shot." He pushed himself away from the wall and approached Buck hesitantly. Man, he was in a mood.

Buck's eyes landed on him and then slid over to the clock on the wall. "What'cha need?" He asked suspiciously.

Daryl shrugged. "I was thinkin' me and Andrea could walk down to that diner and grab everybody some..."

"No!" Buck shook his head. "You can keep your ass here till it's time to pick Carol up."

Daryl frowned. "What the fuck for? I ain't five years old. It's borin' as shit in this place."

Buck looked down and picked something up from the work bench. "Cause I need ya here to help Merle take this shit apart and get it cleaned up," he gestured towards the bike. "I got somethin' I need to run into town for Clem."

"It ain't drugs is it?" Daryl asked, his eyes narrowing. Him doing favors for Clem was what got his ass thrown in prison in the first place.

Buck scowled. "No, smart ass. It's bike parts."

Daryl sighed and crouched down next to his brother, scanning over the pieces of the bike that Merle had already removed. He knew his brother didn't need any damn help with this thing. Buck was up to something and when he looked at his brother and saw his eyes locked on Buck's he knew it had something to do with him. "What the hell are the two of you up too? And don't say nothin' either cause I ain't a damn retard."

Merle looked at him and shook his head. "I don't know what the fuck you're talkin' about." He handed Daryl a wrench and motioned towards the bike. "Get the hell to work, I gotta take a piss."

Daryl glanced back and shrugged at Andrea who glared at Merle as he stomped by. He had no idea what Buck and Merle's problem was but he hoped they got over it soon. Usually when they were in a bad mood then the whole house ended up in a bad mood and regardless of what had happened yesterday, he was feeling pretty good.

~H~

Carol slammed her locker shut and gazed longingly down the hall towards the doors. Daryl wasn't going to be bringing her any lunch today because Buck was an asshole. She'd think twice before ever being truthful with him again. Maybe, if they were going to get in trouble anyway, she should have told him exactly what they had been doing behind those bleachers.

That thought had her face burning. It didn't really matter anyway. She had more pressing matters on her mind. Like, what were Merle and Buck planning on doing about Daryl's deranged mother being in town? She had worried all day long about them, wondering if they were doing anything that would land them both in jail. She couldn't stomach the thought of being the one responsible for getting them in trouble. Her and her big stupid mouth.

She headed towards the doors leading outside. She wasn't about to go sit in the lunch room all by herself. Or worse, risking those horrible boys giving her a bunch of grief over what Daryl had done. She had received quite a few glares from them since returning to school and she decided to keep it to herself. The last thing she needed was more trouble.

The sun felt good on her face once she was out the doors. She had a book tucked under her arm and had every intention of finding a quiet spot to sit alone and read for a while. If she couldn't be with Daryl or Andrea then she would rather be alone.

"How's it goin'?"

She glanced over and then cursed under her breath. There was a boy she hadn't seen before walking with her now. "Fine," she said in a clipped tone.

"I like your shirt. You ever seen'em live?" The dark haired boy asked.

She looked down at her faded Led Zeppelin shirt and then shook her head. "Nope."

He laughed. "Oh man, if they happen to come through here any time soon you'll not believe how cool they are live. You gotta catch a show."

She nodded curtly and sped up a little.

"So, you're new here, right? I mean, I never seen you around before. You like it here so far?" He kept up with her easily with his longer legs and she finally stopped in her tracks and turned to look at the boy.

"Yes. I'm new here and no I don't much care for this school," she said, her eyes narrowed. If he touched her she was going to kick him in the balls so hard that he would never be able to breed.

He frowned down at her and then ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, am I botherin' you?" He held up his hands in surrender. "I can take a hike if ya want. I just saw that you were alone and I haven't been here all that long myself. I ain't ever been a fan of being the new kid. Just bein' friendly."

She studied the boy for a few long moments. What was it that Merle had said to her just this morning?

_"Maybe it won't be so bad if you didn't come off as such a bitch. Loosen the fuck __up__, ya know? __Make a friend or two.__ It wouldn't be half as bad if ya didn't glare at everybody like they're about to steal your damn virginity. 'Sides, ya done handed that over to my baby brother anyhow."_

He'd laughed at that and then slapped her on the ass before she trudged out the door, earning himself a glare from Buck and Andrea. But was he right? Not everyone was out to fight her. Maybe she should just relax a little more and try to be friendly.

She forced herself to smile at the guy and then stuck out her hand in a grand show of bravery. "I'm Carol."

His eyebrows shot up and a crooked smile graced his face. He shook her hand with a nod. "Shane Walsh."

"Nice to meet you Shane," she muttered right before she turned to walk away. There. That wasn't all that bad. It certainly didn't kill her to be nice to the...

"So, where ya headin'?" She heard him ask, stopping her in her tracks.

She glanced over at him. "I was just going to go read until lunch was over."

He chuckled. "Read?"

She forced herself not to glare at him. She needed to learn how to be nice. "Yes. Read. You know? Books?"

He pointed out towards the parking lot. "See that GTO over there?"

She squinted against the sun but eventually spotted the shiny black hood of a 1972 Pontiac sitting proudly between a VW mini bus and a Woody Wagon. "Nice," she muttered.

Her and Andrea sometimes had stolen magazines from mail boxes for reading material. One of the houses that they hit often subscribed to an auto magazine and Carol had grown fond of looking at all of the cars that she knew she'd never own. She'd gotten pretty good at being able to recognize them. "Did you know that the very first muscle car to hit the streets was a GTO? Back in 1964 was when it made it's big debut and people loved them because they were big family cars but sure as shit didn't lack any power..." Her voice trailed off once she realized how much she had said.

She risked looking over at him and he was grinning down at her, his eyes wide. "Well, I was about to say that the van next to it was my ride but you kind of stole my thunder and now I wouldn't mind looking into buyin' a GTO. I didn't know chicks were that into cars."

Carol blushed furiously and looked out at the van with a frown. "You don't look like a hippie. The only people I ever see driving those are hop heads," she muttered.

He barked out a laugh. "I'm not. I bought it off my cousin last fall. It's got a brand new... uh... second hand eight track player though so if you wanted we could go listen to some tunes or something till lunch is over. I just got the newest Stones album."

She shook her head. Talking to a boy was one thing. Getting in a van with a guy she barely knew to listen to music didn't really seem like something she should do. It seemed... wrong. Even if she did think the guy was pretty nice. "Look, I have a boyfriend and if I caught him hanging out with some girl in a van I would probably get pretty mad. Thanks though, for the offer."

He nodded solemnly and met her eyes. "I can see that pissin' off a boyfriend. I know that my girlfriend would get mad as hell if she caught me in a van alone with a chick," he winked and then pointed over her head.

She turned around just in time to see a girl walking towards them. The girl was smiling brightly, her dark almond shaped eyes only on Shane. Carol felt like a complete moron. Why in the world would she automatically jump to conclusions?

"Who's our new friend?" The girl asked, her smile brightening once her eyes finally landed on Carol.

Shane grinned at her but Carol couldn't help but notice that they kept their distance from one another. "This here is Carol. She's a bit testy but she's got good taste in tunes and she knows about cars so it makes up for it." He grinned at the girl, who laughed. "Carol, this is Sasha."

"The girlfriend?" Carol asked as she shook Sasha's hand.

Sasha's smile slipped and she met Carol's eyes briefly before she looked past her at Shane.

Shane moved until he was standing closer to the girl. "She's cool, Sasha. She look like one of them assholes to you?"

Carol frowned, clearly confused. "What are you talking about?"

Sasha shot Shane an annoyed look before she looked back at Carol and forced a smile. "Some people around here aren't really too into the idea of my kind and his kind dating, ya know?" Her tone was sarcastic and bitter and Carol instantly felt bad for her.

Carol glanced between them and understood instantly what the girl was talking about. It didn't matter that it was 1978. People, especially in the south, were still in the mindset like it was 1878. She shrugged, reading the flash of hurt in the other girl's eyes before she looked away. "I can see why people would have a problem with it honestly. But the way I see it, there isn't anything wrong with an attractive girl falling for such a dork. You two are obvious opposites and make a strange pair but who am I to judge?" She offered Sasha a soft smile, letting the girl know that there would be no racial judgment from her.

It worked. Sasha covered a loud laugh behind her hand as Shane looked between them with a forced scowl. "I changed my mind. The girl isn't right in the head, Sasha. She's a nitwit. We should just walk away while we can before she starts thinkin' she's cool enough to hang out with us."

"Hey!" Someone called from the wide expanse of grass that separated the school from the parking lot.

Carol looked over and realized the group of people that were standing around in the shade of a huge moss covered tree. The same kind that her own yard was full of. The shade looked inviting.

"Man, is that your brother over there?" Shane asked with a groan.

Sasha waved at them and then started walking that way. She glanced over her shoulder. "He's sweet Shane. He likes you. Come on," she motioned for them to follow and Carol didn't miss Shane's eye roll.

"He threatened to kick my ass," he grumbled once they caught up with Sasha.

"That was forever ago and he felt like he needed to protect me. I'm not sure why since out of the two of us I'm the one always sticking up for his big butt," she rolled her eyes but smiled. It was obvious that this brother of hers was someone she was very close with.

Carol started feeling uncomfortable when they grew closer to the crowd. There were more people standing around than she thought. She actually recognized one of the guys. It was the fry cook from the Diner that her and Daryl had eaten lunch at the day before.

"Hey!" He grinned at her and she gave him a small wave and a nervous smile. He glanced at the others standing around. "Remember me tellin' ya about the girl yesterday? I'll be damned if it ain't her in the flesh. How the hell are ya little bruiser?"

Carol wanted the earth to swallow her up when they all looked at her in shock before she heard a few of them laugh.

T-dog had his arm around a girl with dark skin and piercing eyes that reminded Carol instantly of Jacqui. With his free hand he picked at his huge hair. It was then that Carol took in what he was wearing. It was a burnt orange polyester leisure suit with a bright white button up shirt with a wide color that was splashed with a dizzying array of color. She looked down at his... God save her... blue suede shoes.

Without thinking she opened her mouth and words fell out. "You know, if you had a cane and some gold chains I would swear to God you were a pimp..." She shut her mouth quickly when her eyes came back up to meet his.

His mouth dropped open to form a perfect O right before he laughed loudly. The others joined him and she was thankful that he hadn't taken offense to her careless words. She definitely needed to stop hanging around with Merle.

T-dog wiped his eyes once he was finished laughing. "Man, right on, little bruiser. You only wish that you could dress this flashy and pull it off."

An Asian guy shook his head. "That's the thing, T. You seriously can't pull it off. You wanna look like you're coming straight from soul train when really, it looks like your here to solicit young girls." The boy grinned and a pretty brunette threw her arms around his neck, laughing loudly.

Shane nudged her. "You've already met T-dog. He isn't a student here but he can't get anyone his own age to date him so he scopes out the high schools lookin' for girls. At the moment he's reeled in Michonne Bogan." he gestured to the dark girl that T was standing with and she knew then that the girl was definitely related to Jacqui. Michonne grinned and waved at her.

Shane continued on. "The foreigner is Glenn Rhee and that's his girl, Maggie Greene. They face the same discrimination that Sasha and I do. He's a complete nerd and she's hot. It'll never last."

Glenn flipped him off and leaned against the tree, pulling Maggie with him. "I'm not a foreigner! I was born in Detroit."

"Don't listen to Glenn. He's a compulsive liar. He came over here right from the jungle. The big guy is Sasha's brother Tyreese," Shane didn't have any barbs to throw at the big guy. "He's in college on a football scholarship. The girl sittin' over there by the tree is Lori. She's my cousin's girl and she's gonna fail English if she don't pass that test today, hence the book in her face."

The dark haired girl looked up and smiled and then did a double take. She sat her book down and frowned. "Carol?"

Lori. The name was familiar and then she recognized the face. "Are you serious?" Carol grinned. The girl rushed over to her and threw her arms around her neck. Carol hugged her back tightly.

"Wow," Shane said with a wink. "If you two make out or somethin' do we get to watch?"

"Hey, I got one dollar bills!" T-dog waved a hand full of ones in their direction.

Lori pulled back and grinned. "What are you doing here? I can't believe this!"

Carol couldn't stop the smile that broke out over her face. Lori and her boyfriend had picked her and Andrea up and had driven them all the way to Atlanta. Not only that but they had let the two of them stay in their hotel room with them since they had no place to go. Lori's boyfriend at the time, Rick, had paid for two extra nights so Andrea and Carol would have a place to sleep for their first few days on their own.

"I swear, I never thought I would see you again!" Lori said as she finally pulled away. "What in the world have you and Andrea been up too? I want to know everything!"

Carol glanced around at all of the eyes that were watching them curiously. "I'll tell you all about it..." Before she could even finish her sentence the first warning bell chimed, telling them all that they didn't have much time left.

Lori glanced towards the doors as most of the group made their way back towards the school. Tyreese and T-dog waved goodbye. She let an over excited Lori lead her to the buildings front doors with the rest of the group.

Carol walked into the doors with the group and learned quickly that Shane and Maggie were both in her gym class. It felt strange walking towards the gym with other people. Nice people. People that could very well become her friends. She smiled to herself as Shane held the door open for her and Maggie. Maybe Merle was right. Maybe this wasn't going to be as bad as she thought it was going to be.


	27. Chapter 27

**Still eight more days before I can update the other story. I hope you like this chapter! Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 27**

Buck glanced up and down the street, making sure no one was watching him before he opened the door and slipped inside. A chill ran down his spine as he glanced around the space.

"Well, well. Look what the dogs have dragged in," a voice said from the back of the room.

He looked up and saw her leaning against the cluttered counter, her eyes studying him, humor dancing in their dark depths. He shook his head. "Yeah, you just remember that I ain't a little school boy no more. I ain't scared of you, woman."

She came around the counter, flipping a light switch as she past, illuminating the room and chasing away a lot of the mystery. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Buck, you always did talk a good game."

He grinned at her when she stopped in front of him and allowed her to pull him into a hug. She felt fragile in his arms but he hugged her fiercely anyway. If he was ever sure of anything in his life it was that Jacqui Bogan wasn't as delicate as she appeared. "How ya been?" He asked once she took a step away.

She shrugged and glanced around. "I've been worse off," she said lightly and gave him a knowing look.

His smile died and he nodded. "Yeah. You have." He wasn't sure what to expect when he saw her. This deep well of emotion making his chest feel tight wasn't completely unexpected. Guilt washed over him in waves.

"Sometimes things get a little slow but I have enough put back to get us through," she crossed her arms over her chest and glanced around.

"You know, if ya need anything all you gotta do is ask," he said in a gruff voice.

"Buck, you've done plenty enough for me in the past. More than I can ever repay you for," She took a deep breath and clapped her hands together loudly, "Now, I know you didn't show up here to dredge up the past or offer me your charity. This is about your son. So lets get on with it," she motioned for him to follow her, which he did.

She lead him through the beaded doorway and sat down heavily in the chair she pulled out for him. "He don't know I'm here," Buck said quickly.

"The girl filled you in then?" Jacqui asked as she took a seat across from him.

Buck nodded. "She did."

Jacqui sighed heavily. "You need to get out of town, Buck. I'll handle everything."

He looked up sharply. "That ain't why I'm I'm here. I wouldn't ask you to do somethin' like that."

She smiled kindly and leaned back in her chair. She watched him wordlessly for a long time before she spoke. "How long have we known one another Buck?"

Buck sighed and swiped a hand over his face. "Twenty five years or more."

"I saw what happened to your boy, Buck. I don't know the details. I don't want too. What I do know is that I can't let you risk your neck and that is exactly what you plan to do. That boy needs you. I owe you, Buck Dixon and it's a debt I need to repay. What you did for me then, well maybe this will finally make us even."

"You don't owe me a damn thing," he hissed. He meant it too. She may have felt that she owed him something but she didn't. What Buck did all of those years ago he had done for himself. "I did what I did because Jerome was my friend. I didn't do that for you or your mama."

"And what I am going to do to that monster isn't going to be for you. I'm doing it for your boy. This isn't charity. This has nothing to do with any loyalties I have to you. That child needs you. He needs you like Michonne needed her own father and like I needed my brother. Those men..." Her voice trailed off and she looked away bitterly, her face crumbling. He looked away himself, giving her a moment to compose herself. He didn't look up until he felt her warm hand cover his on the table. "Those men tortured my brother and left his child an orphan. Jerome was a good man and he didn't deserve what happened to him. My niece should have known what kind of man he was."

Buck swallowed hard. It had been a long time since he had thought of his dead best friend or the family he had been ripped from in such viscous way. "Your niece needs you just as much as my kids need me. I can't risk you getting caught."

She shook her head and squeezed his hand. "No one ever knew you and Jerome were close. No one suspected you when you killed those men. As far as the world knows me and you are complete strangers, Buck Dixon. Why on earth would they bat an eye in my direction? Let me do this for you. For the boy. Please."

He met her eyes and then let out a heavy breath. "I don't feel right about this."

She laughed but it was humorless. "I would not be lying if I told you that I felt just fine when you killed those bastards that murdered my brother. Buck, when I told that boy that she was going to take it all, I meant it. If someone doesn't do something, you _are_ going to die."

He drew his hand back, his heart lurching slightly in his chest. If anyone else would have said this to him he would have laughed it off and told them that with how he's lived, he should have been dead already. But this wasn't anyone else. This was Jacqui Bogan and if she said it then it was the truth. He didn't know exactly what she was but he was smart enough to know that she knew what she was talking about.

"Your sons..." She paused and stared into his eyes for a few heavy seconds, "Your _daughters_, won't be able to come back from that. You aren't just one man. You're a father. Let me do this. Please," she pleaded once more.

His throat felt thick and he was having a hard time swallowing. He thought about everything Merle had told him about how Daryl had been when Merle had first went back for him. He thought about the scars on his back. He thought about the life the girls had been forced into before they had ran into Merle and Daryl. They had been living in a two room shack in the woods and that had been luxury to them. He had an obligation to all of them. He owed it to his boys to keep his ass out of trouble and he owed it to his girls to show them what it was really like to have a family, even if it was dysfunctional. He owed it to all four of them to keep himself breathing. When he was finally able to speak his voice didn't even sound like his own anymore. "What do you need me to do?"

She smiled warmly. "Tomorrow I want you to leave town. Make sure, wherever you go, that you have plenty of alibis. Don't call me. Give me at least three days."

"What about my kids? Clem really depends on Merle at the shop, especially if I ain't gonna be around. He'll need Daryl to pick up the slack. Andrea has a job at night and Carol has school."

She nodded. "Leave them. They'll be fine."

"How the hell do you now tha..." His voice trailed off as she raised one eyebrow at him. He stood up and ran a hand through his hair. "Fine. I'll drive down to Florida. Maybe I'll visit my brother. Might do me some good to make peace with all them assholes. The boys need to know their kin so smoothin' things out with them down there might be a good thing."

She nodded and lead him back through the shop. As he reached the door she hugged him again, reluctant to pull away. "Everything will be fine."

He let her go and held her at arms length. There was something that had been eating at him for quite some time, seventeen years to be exact, and now was as good a time as any to get it off his chest. "I'm sorry," he said in a near whisper, forcing himself to keep his eyes on hers. "I'm sorry I wasn't there that night. I'm sorry I wasn't able to stop it. Maybe if I had been then..." He closed his mouth when her fingers touched his lips.

"None of that was your fault. You showed my family kindness when no one would. You were never ever to blame for what those men did to us. I'll always love you for that and wherever Jerome is now, I'm sure he looks down from time to time and is happy at what he sees in you. Even when you do make dumb decisions that land your fool butt in jail. Now get back to work and don't let anyone see you leave here."

He nodded, feeling a heavy weight that he never knew was there leave his broad shoulders. She didn't blame him. Maybe now he could stop blaming himself.

~H~

Carol emerged from the shower room in high spirits. She was flanked by Maggie and Shane who seemed to regard her as one of them. On their way down the hall to their lockers they were greeted by the others. Glenn kissed Maggie right there in front of everyone and didn't seem to have the same hang ups that Shane and Sasha had. Sasha gave Shane a soft smile but kept her distance. Once Carol finally made it to her own locker to retrieve her bag and what books she needed she felt a hand on her back.

"So, do you want to go to the diner with the rest of us?" Lori asked with a smile. Michonne was a few lockers down. "Maggie's sister works there after school with T-dog and between the two of them we never have to pay. We just have to tip well," she winked.

Carol frowned. "I'd love too but I seriously doubt it. Buck is on the warpath and he'll probably say no if I ask."

"Buck?" Lori quirked an eyebrow. "He your boyfriend?"

"Gross! No! He's my... He's my guardian. Andrea and I live with him," Carol said.

Lori made a humming sound in the back of her throat. "Well, I'm glad you two actually found someone to take care of you. I hated leaving the two of you in Atlanta but I didn't know what else to do."

Carol smiled. "It was rough for a while but a few months ago everything kind of changed."

When Carol finally closed her locker she turned to find Michonne, Sasha, Maggie and Lori waiting on her. Shane and Glenn were nowhere to be seen. Maggie grinned. "The guys are gonna meet us there. We're takin' my car. You comin'?"

Lori spoke up before Carol could say anything. "Not this time, ladies. Maybe tomorrow."

They made there way out the door and then the girl's stopped. "You need a ride or somethin'?" Michonne asked.

Carol opened her mouth to tell the other girl no when she heard Maggie's surprised voice. "Jesus Christ! Who in the hell is _that_?"

When Carol looked up she knew exactly what Maggie was talking about. Leaning against a tree, chewing his thumb nail and looking off at nothing in particular was Daryl. Her stomach did a strange little flip and her chest suddenly felt light and tingly. She couldn't help but grin at the site of him. His jeans were ripped in several places and stained with oil along with his grease smeared work boots. The tank top he wore clung to his sweaty torso.

He looked up, like he could sense her eyes on him. He pushed himself away from the tree with a grin on his face and that strange sensation in her chest intensified.

"Oh my God, he's gorgeous!" Lori breathed. "And he's coming this way."

Daryl pushed his dark hair out of his eyes and started making his way towards her. It was almost like he didn't even notice the other girls with her right away. Once he got closer however his steps faltered slightly as he took in the girls that she was standing with.

"That's Daryl Dixon. He got suspended for messing Ed Peletier's face up," Michonne said from beside her.

Lori made a sound like she was trying to clear her throat. "That makes him even more hot, and I didn't think the guy could get any hotter."

Carol glanced around at the girls and then shook her head. "You guys are ridiculous." She left them standing there and met him half way.

"Hi," she grinned.

He met her eyes and smiled. "You take Merle's advice?"

She nodded and glanced over her shoulder at the other girls. They were all staring at her with wide eyes. All of them but Michonne who was scowling at the group she was standing with and shaking her head. "I did. And it isn't horrible. I like them." She met his eyes again, "But I'm ready to get the hell out of here."

He glanced at the group of girls one more time before he grabbed her hand and laced his fingers through hers. "Let's go then," he grumbled. "Why the hell are they starin' at me like that?"

She laughed and moved closer so she was pressed against his side before she glanced over her shoulder and saw the others gaping at her. "They think you're _gorgeous_."

He stopped and scowled down at her. "You're full of it."

She shook her head, enjoying herself at his blush. He glanced at the girls again and then, out of nowhere, his hand was tangled in her hair and his lips met hers in a kiss that almost made her knees weak. By the time he pulled away she had forgotten that they were standing right out on the sidewalk where everyone could see them. When she met his eyes he was watching her with a steady gaze.

"Yours," he muttered gruffly.

She opened her mouth to say something but no words came out. She was almost dizzy and she wasn't even sure why. All she could do was nod. He kissed her quickly and then threw a scowl over his shoulder before pulling her along towards the truck.

She risked one more quick look over her shoulder before they rounded the corner. Sasha, Lori and Maggie were staring at her with their mouths hanging open. Michonne on the other hand stood apart from the other girls, grinning and shaking her head. She decided then that her and Michonne were going to get along just fine.


End file.
